Indian Journal of Biotechnology Vol I, January 2002, pp 9-16 Developments in Biotechnology: An Overview Rintu Banerjee l , Gargi Mukherjee l , Ashok Pande/* and A Sabu 2 I Microbial Biotechnology and Downstream Processing Laboratory, Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302 2Biotechnology Division, Regional Research Laboratory, CSIR, Thiruvananthapuram 695 019, India Human quest for improving the natural capabilities of microorganisms, making them capable of novel processes, and discovering microorganisms with new capabilities has led to tremendous development, today referred to as modern biotechnological advances. This has led to the development of recombinant DNA technology, which allows modifying microbes and other organisms to create in them highly valuable, novel and naturally non-existent capabilities. R&D in areas such as stem cell, human genome, transgenic crops, etc. has made untreatable diseases to understand and control. However, research in many areas such as cloning, stem cell, etc. has also posed serious concern on ethical and societal issues, which if not taken proper measures, could be eventually vel'Y dangerous. This paper traces the significant biotechnology developments and their impact on human life with a futuristic approach. Keywords: biotechnology, bioprocesses, industrial development, DNA technology, gene therapy, human genome, stem cell, biosafety, ethical issues Introduction Biotechnology is concerned with the exploitation of biological components for generating useful products. The area covered under biotechnology is vast and the techniques involved are highly divergent. Some standard definitions of biotechnology are, "the controlled use of biological agents such as microorganisms or cellular components for beneficial use" (US National Science Foundation). According to European Federation of Biotechnology, "the integrated use of Biochemistry, microbiology and engineering sciences in order to achieve technological application of the capabilities of microorganisms, cultured tissues/cells and parts thereof'. A British biotechnologist says that "the application of biological organisms, systems or processes" constitutes biotechnology. Thus, in general, biotechnology is the utilization of biological entities (microorganisms, cells of higher organisms, their components or constituents, e.g. enzymes) in such a way that some product/service of human welfare is generated. History Since 5000 BC, microbes have been employed for making wine, vinegar, curd, leavened bread, etc. Such processes that are based on the natural capabilities of * Author for correspondence: Tel: +91-471-515279; Fax: +91-471-491712 E-mail: pandey@csrrltrd.ren.nic.in microorganisms are commonly referred to as old biotechnology. The term 'Biotechnology' was coined by Karl Ereky in 1919, a Hungarian engineer, who envisioned a biochemical age similar to the stone and iron ages (Bud, 1989). Biotechnology, in 20th century, brought industry and agriculture together. During World War I, fermentation processes were developed that produced acetone from starch and paint solvents for the rapidly growing automobile industry. During World War II, the manufacture of penicillin shifted the biotechnological focus towards pharmaceuticals. The "cold war" years were dominated by work on microorganisms for the preparation of biological warfare as well as antibiotics and fermentation processes (Goodman, 1987). After the discovery of double-helix model of DNA, scientists started working on genes. Werner Arber discovered special enzymes in bacteria called restriction enzymes, which cut DNA strands of organism at precise points. In 1973, Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer removed a specific gene from one bacterium and inserted it in another using restriction enzymes. This one event marked the beginning of recombinant DNA technology or genetic engineering. In 1977, genes were transferred from one organism to bacteria (Table 1).