10 Applications of Biotechnology in Medicine

Biotechnology enables the development of new drugs, vaccines, diagnostic tests, and therapies to improve human health and well-being.

Applications of Biotechnology in Medicine

Here are some most important uses of biotechnology to aid the everyday life of human beings:

1: Production of Recombinant Insulin

Insulin is a hormone that helps control the amount of sugar in our blood. People with diabetes don’t make enough insulin, so they need to take it as a medicine.

Scientists used to make insulin from pigs, but they didn’t have enough pigs to fulfill the need for time. So, they used biotechnology to make insulin in a lab using bacteria. This is called recombinant insulin.

2: Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is a way to treat diseases caused by variations in genes. Scientists take a healthy gene and put it into the recipient cells to fix the problem. This can be done using a virus that acts like a delivery truck for the healthy gene.

3: Molecular Diagnosis

Sometimes it becomes hard for physicians to understand the reason for sickness, this is where they need the help of biotechnology. Biotechnology helps doctors find out what’s wrong by looking at the genetic pattern or variations that might be the reason for illnesses. This is called molecular diagnosis.

4: Pharmacogenomics

Everyone responds differently to medicine because of their certain traits. Pharmacogenomics is a way that drug companies use to make medicine that is right for specific groups of people with specific traits.

Biotechnology is helping scientists make medicine that is tailored to work best for each person.

5: DNA Profiling

The use of DNA analysis to identify an individual is often used in forensic science and paternity testing.

6: DNA Cloning

DNA cloning is the process of creating a genetic copy of a DNA molecule or organism.

7: Edible Vaccines

Vaccines are used to prevent diseases by making you immune to certain diseases. Scientists are using biotechnology techniques and tools to make vaccines from plants. So, people can eat the plants instead of getting a vaccine shot. This is called an edible vaccine.

8: Transgenesis

The process of introducing a foreign gene into an organism, resulting in a transgenic organism with a new trait.

9: Xenotransplantation

Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of cells, tissues, or organs from one species to another. Scientists are using biotechnology to genetically engineer animal cells, tissues, or organs that are more compatible with human recipients.

Xenotransplantation is still in the experimental stages. one successful case of xenotransplantation was reported in 2022.

10: Genome Analysis

The study of an organism’s genetic makeup and the identification of genetic variations within a population. Biotechnology is being used for this purpose to enhance efficiency.