Biotechnology: industry of the 21st century. Creating the newbio-product markets

摘要

This quarter century has seen the arrival of the biotechnologyindustry, beginning with the scientific unveiling of genes (the doublehelix) and understanding the process of cell renewal, through DNA, mRNAand protein production. That process showed the manner and theconsequences of modification of genes. Social embedding of gene-modifiedproducts is found in integration of industry and markets, understandards and regulation and acceptance by consumers. Thatimplementation is based on the overall delivery chain, from research ofthe science, to manufacture, to distribution to the consumer. Each stepin the chain can be varied, so that opportunities are available in eachstep. In the food/crop market, the traits to be changed are found in fewfunctions: resistance to pest, resistance to pesticide, increase inyield, increase in nutrition. In the drug/pharmaceutical market, genemodification provides specific selectivity which heightens therapyachievable for nutrition or disease, and, in some instances, displacestraditional medical procedure. Research and development of the scienceis the building block. This paper discusses the market analysis,bioproducts positioning, conflict environment of genetically modifiedfood, global markets, and implementation considerations