بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

1. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

2. Biotechnology Research in Egyptian Institutions byH. S. A. SalamaNational Research Centre,Cairo

3. Biotechnology can be an efficient catalyst in improving the economy of the country and ensuring a better quality of life for all. Biotechnology is always giving the impression that its potential impact on medicine and human health care , industry and agriculture is almost limitless.Miracle drugs for cancer, heart attacks , Alzheimer's disease and other incurable diseases are already on hands or soon to be developed.

4. In Egypt:Research and development has been possible through a network of Universities , and Research Institutes. Institutions concerned with Biotechnology Research are:*Agricultural Research Centre with 16 institutes including an institute for Agricultural Biotechnology (AGERI).

5. * An institute for vaccines, antibiotics, and enzymes production (Ministry of Health). *A Centre of Biotechnology including labs. for agricultural, industrial and medical biotechnology (GERC) (Cairo Univers)

6. *A Centre of GE.& B including 4 Labs. for tissue culture, molecular biology and tissue culture( Ain Shams Univers.) *Labs. of GE. & B. concerned with agricultural, industrial and environmental research (Alexandria, Suez Canal and Menia Univers.) *A Centre of GE. & B. (Menoufia Univers.) concerned with agricultural and medical research

7. *A multidisciplinary National Research Centre having departments concerned with agricultural , industrial and medical biotechnology.*Mubarak City for Scientific Research including an institute for Biotechnology (GEBRI)

8. *Theodor Bilharziasis research institute including labs. for immunology, biochemistry and therapeutical chemistry. *NAMRU-3 concerned with immunology and diagnosis of infectious diseases research.

9. In the Universities there exist satellites (centers and labs.) mainly concerned with Biotechnology research. Various successful achievements in this area have been recorded . Departments and special courses for teaching Biotechnology at the undergraduate level have also been established since 1996. Biotechnology Research in Universities

10. Research related to Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology at the National Research Centre. Among the Egyptian research institutes, the multidisciplinary National Research Centre ( NRC ) of Cairo is heavily engaged with research in fields related to GE & B. in the areas of Agriculture, Medicine, Health and Industry .

11. This Centre (NRC) is the largest and most competent Research Institution in Egypt which can support multidisciplinary research programs in the field of GE & B. It was established in 1956 as a national center to conduct

12. basic and applied research of national interest in its 13 main research divisions and 107 research departments and these are:

13. 1- Agricultural and Biological Research Division 2-Food Industries and Nutrition Research Division 3- Pharmaceutical Industries Research Division 4- Environmental Sciences Research Division

14. 5- Medical Sciences Research Division 6- Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Division . 7- Human Genetics and Genome Research Division 8- Veterinary Research Division 9-Engineering Research Division

15. 10- Chemical Industries Research Division 11- Inorganic Chemical Industries and Mineral Resources Research Division 12- Physics Research Division 13- Textile Industries Research Division

16. Over2200research scientists(with Ph. D. degree) supported by3500research assistants, technicians , and administration staff are engaged in research and development in this Centre .

17. The NRC occupies an area of 15 acres on which laboratories, pilot plants, fermentors, green houses, central services laboratory , growth chambers, excellent library, documentation centre, instrumentation centre and computer services are located.

18. Activities in the area of Biotechnology run along the following lines :

19. 1-Plant Biotechnology classical genetics for breeding with high yielding , early maturing , pest resistant and high protein crops. Techniques of plant tissue, cell and organ cultures are now well developed. In vitro propagation of banana, potato, strawberry , date palm , mulberry , artichoke and ornamental plants .

20. Also In vitro production of secondry metabolites such as tropane alkaloids and antineoplastic alkaloids.Molecular characterization and finger printing of plants, plant improvement through gene transfer and preservation of plant genetic resources represent a part of the current activities .

21. 2- Biofertilisers Transfer of the characteristics of N – fixation by Rhizobium to non – legumes is carried out. Production of biological fertilizers for various crops is highly successful. The prospects for improved agriculture by use of microbial inoculants are good leading to better yield, lower costs. and reduced dependence on chemicals.

22. 3- Biopesticides Development of microbial pesticides for pest control to reduce environmental pollution Examples are Bacillus thuringiensis and virus diseases which play a great role in insect control.

23. 4- Cytogenetics and Genetic Toxicology Effect of pesticides in inducing chromosome aberrations in bone marrow , micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes in bone marrow and sister chromatid exchange.

24. 5- Bio-fuel research Municipal digesters used in the treatment of municipal sewage sludge , with the evolved gases satisfying part of the energy needs of the municipal treatment plant.

25. 6- Veterinary medicine Preparation of vaccines against endemic diseases that affect both animals and humans. Studies to speed up genetic improvement of farm animals and to increase production using embryo cloning and sexing and production of genetic mosaics

26. 7-Fermentation technology Production of cell matter or biomass of cell components, metabolites . Use of molasses and ricebran to produce ethanol , acetic acid , ethyl acetate, butyl acetate , acetone and butanol by fermentation . Production of bulk chemicals such as citric acid (Aspergillus niger ), lactic acid (Lactobacillus spp. ) is progressing .

27. 8- Enzyme production Preparation of new enzymes from different organisms and also medicinal kits for diagnosis of human diseases. Research on microbial and plant enzymes of significant importance in various industries .

28. 9- Antibiotic production Isolation, identification and characterization of new antibiotics from Egyptian environment. Production of conventional antibiotics required for combating common bacterial and fungal infections prevalent in the middle east area .

29. 10- Biomedical Technology *Development and use of molecular cloning and nucleic acid analysis techniques for infectious organisms. *Defining some genes suffering functional disorders during the process of carcinogenesis . *Utilization of biochemical and immunological techniques in production of diagnostic kits for various diseases .

30. 11-Recombinant DNA technology in the diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies Use of genetic engineering (DNA) probe for accurate diagnosis of prevalent genetic disorders, its use in prenatal detection of diseases that cannot be diagnosed otherwise.

31. ( e. g. thalessaemias and other haemoglobinopathies and leuchenne muscular dystrophy). Highly qualified research staff in clinical genetics, human cytogenetics, biochemical genetics , prenatal diagnosis and population genetics.

32. Research on mental retardation, chromosomal aberration, primary amenorrhea, male infertility, intersex problems, inborn errors of metabolism, multiple malformations and recurrent abortions.There is an outpatient unique clinic receiving patients with genetic disorders referred by specialists from all over Egypt.

33. Scientific manpower at NRC NRC has qualified and experienced scientific manpower resources in all fields including those related to GE & B. i. e.genetics (plant, animal, human) biochemistry, microbiology, virology, physiology, plant and animal breeding, food technology, industrial fermentation,

34. medical physics, biophysics, tissue culture, mammalian cell culture, cell physiology, molecular biology, biological pesticides ….etc. Many scientists have been educated in well reputed European , American and Canadian Universities.

35. Foreign Cooperation NRC has signed several bi – lateral, and international agreements with developed and developing countries, some international organizations and the International Centre for GE and Biotechnology. This include joint research projects, exchange of information and scholars, training, …etc.

36. Mubarak City for Scientific Research - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI ) -It aims to develop new solutions for medical pharmaceutical, industrial and environmental problems through molecular biotechnological techniques . -Designed to cover advanced biotechnological R&D in the Biodiversity, Bioinformatics ,

37. -Germplasm conservation , production of novel biotechnology products, genomics, -Stem cell technology and tissue engineering. It consists of 6 departments : -Nucleic Acids Research . -Environmental Biotechnology . -Medical Biotechnology . -Bioproces development and Pilot Plant . -Pharmaceutical Bioproducts . -Protien Research .

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