How Biotechnology is Helping the World
- Naila Surahmat
- Apr 16, 2022
- 3 min read
The world has an infinite amount of problems, from changing climates due to overproduction of CO2 emissions, increasing cases of debilitating and rare diseases with no known cure, and decreasing food production causing mass hunger. It seems as if the world as we know it is slowly coming to an end. But, what if I told you that there is a solution to these seemingly insurmountable issues? Fortunately for us, biotechnology is a rising concept that could save our societies from a bleak future. To put it simply, biotechnology is technology based on biology. It harnesses cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet. In fact, the use of biological processes of microorganisms have been prevalent for more than 6,000 years to create and preserve food products. Today, biotechnology continues to contribute to our society as it combats the spread and effects of infectious disease, fuels the world sustainably, and improves crop production globally. Overall, there’s no denying that biotechnology has been a critical aspect of our current society and will be its future.
The most recognizable effect of biotechnology are its breakthroughs in treating and preventing life-threatening diseases. The second leading cause of death worldwide are infectious diseases and more are continuing to emerge at an alarming rate, targeting the most vulnerable yet vital individuals of our society: infants and children. However, biotech has helped us make tremendous progress in improving the odds for millions of patients with devitalizing conditions and combating everyday threats in the developing world. The most effective way to save the lives of millions and prevent unnecessary suffering is through vaccines. By imitating an infection of a specific illness, your immune system produces antibodies that help develop immunity to the disease. Vaccines already prevent around 10.5 million cases of illnesses yearly, and about 2.5 million child deaths globally through immunization. To add on, biotech also tests, detects, and diagnoses conditions sooner and with greater accuracy and precision, thereby improving patient prognosis. Majority of tests only require a simple blood sample or mouth swab- eliminating the need for costly invasive surgery. The tools involved are also now portable, allowing physicians to work on the spot and allow developing countries more health care access, as they lack a health care delivery infrastructure. Lastly, to treat the disease itself, biotech harnesses nature’s own toolbox and utilizes insightful information about our own genetic makeup for research and healing. Currently, there are more than 200 biologic medicines/vaccines, over 1200 biotech diagnostic tests being used in clinics, and 600 new biologic medicines in development to treat rare and destructive diseases such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, and more. Even with all the progress biotechnology is creating for our society at large, I doubt that this will be the end.
Climate change has been an ever prevalent topic that’s been discussed widely amongst social networks, specifically solutions to this issue. From substituting plastics for reusable items to buying second hand goods instead of newly produced products, the internet contains a multitude of ways you can contribute to combating climate change, but the most prominent of all is limiting the use of fuel, whether it’s using public transportation or a bike instead of a car or converting into a electric car instead of a regular car. Although these small solutions sound good in theory, they arguably seem quite meticulous to actually implement. So, what if there’s a way to not have to sacrifice the benefits of using fuel, while still being ethical and sustainable? Thankfully, a new innovation created through biotechnology known as biofuels is the perfect solution. Biofuel is also a fuel, but is produced over a short period of time from biomass unlike the slow natural processes involved in forming fossil fuels such as oil. To add on, by using biofuels, it will cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 52% or more. Therefore, not only would utilizing biofuels be more efficient as it takes significantly less time to produce, but it would also contribute in the fight to end climate change.
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