Historically, biotech has been primarily associated with food, addressing such issues as malnutrition and famine, writes Brian Colwell in this article published by Genetic Literacy Project (GLP).
Today, biotechnology is most often associated with the development of drugs, Colwell writes. “But drugs are hardly the future of biotech. We’ve entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and genetics are on a new level. Biotech is paving a way for a future open to imagination, and that’s kind of scary. The next ten years will surely prove exciting as artificial intelligence and biotechnology merge man and machine…”
Colwell divides the history intoo three distinct phases: Ancient Biotechnology, Classical Biotechnology and Modern Biotechnology.
Colwell concludes his article saying: “Today, biotechnology is being used in countless areas including agriculture, bioremediation and forensics, where DNA fingerprinting is a common practice. Industry and medicine alike use the techniques of PCR, immunoassays and recombinant DNA. Genetic manipulation has been the primary reason that biology is now seen as the science of the future and biotechnology as one of the leading industries.”
Source: Genetic Literacy Project. Read the full article here
Author: Brian Colwell is a technology futurist with an investment thesis focused on disruptions in this next Industrial revolution. His research areas include agricultural, biotechnology and artificial intelligence. Follow @BrianDColwell on Twitter and at his website.
