Beneifts of Biotechnology

1. Beneifts of Biotechnology Over Six billion people live on Earth Chapter 3

2. Biotechnology can… • Pest resistant crops – increase production • Tissue engineering – create new tissues • Microbial biotechnology used to produce new disease preventing vaccines Help solve many problems Food, Health, Housing and other areas involved

3. Life Conditions Quality of life promotes the well-being of people. Shelter in the form of clothing and housing contributes a good quality of life Opportunity to interact with other people promotes human well-being People need food and water to live, this provides nutrients

4. Healthcare An important part of quality of life is the access to good healthcare.(Which promotes good health). Health can be impaired when disease strikes. Quality of life includes healthcare practices that prevent disease as well as treat and heal disease.

5. Life Expectancy The time between birth and death. Life expectancy has risen over the past years, which adds to the population. The use of biotechnology has contributed to life expectancy. Scientists are seeking new products to further enhance biotechnology to extend life expectancy.

6. Plant Biotechnology Many species of plants are used for food and shelter. Yields and quality are important issues dealing with plant biotechnology. Important crops include: wheat, corn, rice, cotton , soybeans, and many kinds of vegetables Nutraceutical – provide benefits other than nutrition – ex disease fighting drugs

7. Animal Biotchnology Poultry includes chickens, ducks, and turkeys. These species produce meat, eggs, and feathers. Animal biotechnology has been used to improve livestock and poultry. Livestock includes beef cattle, dairy cattle, hogs and sheep

8. Vaccines Vaccines protect people from specific diseases. Different diseases need different vaccinations. These vaccines contain a “dead” or less–active copy of the virus. Biotechnology provides new methods for making vaccines and leads to the development of new vaccines against different diseases.

9. Pharmaceuticals Pharmaceuticals were isolated from plants or fungi. An example of biotechnology –engineered pharmaceuticals is human insulin. Originally humans used insulin that was from pigs. Biotechnology techniques are utilized to manufacture vitamin C and vitamin B-2. Designer drugs, gene therapy

10. Tissue Engineering Organ transplants are not always the best answer because there are fewer organs available to people who need them and our bodies do not always accept new organs. People die because organs, such as liver, heart, or pancreas fail to work properly. These lives can be saved by organ transplants.

11. Materials play an important role in human life. Some examples of materials are: plastic, synthetic fabrics, silicon chips and computers. Materials A polyester polymer is the kind of polymer used to make plastics. Some examples are: diapers, yard waste bags, electrical tape, and decals. Biotechnology can help produce materials including polyesters in a more cost –effective manner. Polymer – product of a chemical union of tow molecules to the same compound or produce another compound.