Biotechnology

Biotechnology is a branch of biology that deals with the utilization of living beings or living processes for the production of different products that are important for living beings.

Biotechnology is a fairly emerging discipline that crosses technical processes like manufacturing with biological compounds.
The discipline utilizes both cellular and biomolecular processes to develop processes and products that improve our lives and the biological system of the planet.
Biotechnology often overlaps with other fields like immunology, genomics, recombinant technology, and pharmaceutical microbiology.
Even though biotechnology is viewed as a rather modern concept, it has been widely used throughout history in the form of increasing cultivation, breeding, and therapies.
In modern times, however, biotechnology makes use of more complex concepts like recombinant DNA technology, plant tissue culture, among others.
Biotechnology exists in a close relationship with bioinformatics for the exploration, extraction, and production of biological products.
The production of insulin and antibiotics is one of the most notable examples of biotechnology that supports living beings and protects them from various diseases.
One of the first uses of biotechnology is in the agricultural area where farmers employed techniques of selective breeding in order to increase the harvest.
Besides, the production of alcohol and bread by the process of fermentation is another important and commonly used biotechnological technique.
Four of the most common applications of biotechnology in modern times are made in areas like medicine, agriculture, industries, and the environment.
Different forms of biotechnological processes like wastewater management are considered imperative for the protection of water sources.
Plant and animal tissue culture has given new ways to form life which solves the problem of infertility in both plants and animals.
A branch of biotechnology called, biopharmaceuticals are involved in the utilization of living beings for the production of different therapeutic agents that help in the treatment of life-threatening diseases.

Bacteriophage- Definition, Structure, Life Cycles, Applications, Phage Therapy

December 28, 2020 by Anupama Sapkota

Bacteriophage Definition Bacteriophage or Phage is a virus that infects and replicates only within the body of bacteria. Bacteriophages were discovered independently by Frederick W. Twort in the U.K and Félix d’Hérelle in France. The term ‘bacteriophage’ has been derived from two words; ‘bacteria’ and ‘phagein’, meaning devour. The term was coined by Félix d’Hérelle. These are found throughout the …

3D Bioprinting- Definition, Principle, Process, Types, Applications

December 16, 2020 by Anupama Sapkota

What is 3D Bioprinting? 3D Bioprinting is the method of printing biomedical structures with the use of viable cells, biological molecules, and biomaterials. In simple words, 3D bioprinting is the deposition of biological material in a layer-by-layer fashion to create 3D structures like tissues and organs. Bioprinting is considered a part of additive manufacturing that involves the formation of materials …

Centrifugal force- definition, formula, Principle, Examples (vs Centripetal force)

October 16, 2020 by Anupama Sapkota

Centrifugal force definition Centrifugal force is an outward fictitious force that is experienced by an object moving in a circular path directed away from the center of rotation. The direction of this force is away from the axis of rotation and is parallel to the axis of rotation. Centrifugal force is equal in magnitude and dimensions with another force (centripetal) …

Ultracentrifuge- Definition, Principle, Types, Parts, Procedure, Uses

October 16, 2020 by Anupama Sapkota

Ultracentrifuge Definition Ultracentrifuge is a sophisticated and advanced centrifuge that operates at an extremely high speed and separates smaller molecules that cannot be separated from the traditional centrifuges. The speed of the rotors in ultracentrifuge can range from 60,000 rpm to 150,000 rpm. Ultracentrifuges are mostly operated in more facilitated laboratories to perform more advanced operations. These are larger in …

14 Types of Chromatography (Definition, Principle, Steps, Uses)

July 11, 2020 by Anupama Sapkota

Chromatography Definition Chromatography is an important biophysical technique that enables the separation, identification, and purification of the components of a mixture for qualitative and quantitative analysis. A wide range of chromatographic procedures makes use of differences in size, binding affinities, charge, and other properties to separate materials. It is a powerful separation tool that is used in all branches of …

Enzyme Technology

February 4, 2021April 6, 2019 by Sagar Aryal

The enzyme is a substance that acts as a catalyst in living organisms, regulating the rate at which chemical reactions proceed without itself being altered in the process. Enzymes found in nature have been used since ancient times in the production of food products, such as cheese, sourdough, beer, wine and vinegar, and in the manufacture of commodities such as …

Bioremediation

February 4, 2021April 3, 2019 by Sagar Aryal

Bioremediation refers to the use of either naturally occurring or deliberately introduced microorganisms to consume and break down environmental pollutants, in order to clean a polluted site. It is a process that uses mainly microorganisms but also plants, or microbial or plant enzymes to detoxify contaminants in the soil and other environments. The concept includes biodegradation, which refers to the …

Cell Fusion- Types and Significance

February 4, 2021March 3, 2019 by Sagar Aryal

Until recently, cells were thought to be integral and discrete components of tissues, and their state was determined by cell differentiation. However, under some conditions, stem cells or their progeny can fuse with cells of other types, mixing cytoplasmic and even genetic material of different (heterotypic) origins. Cell fusion is an important cellular process in which several uninuclear cells (cells with a single nucleus) combine to …

Embryo Transfer

February 4, 2021March 1, 2019 by Sagar Aryal

Embryo refers to the early developmental stage of an animal while it is in the egg or within the uterus of the mother. In humans the term is applied to the unborn child until the end of the seventh week following conception; from the eighth week, the unborn child is called a fetus. Embryo transfer refers to a step in the process of assisted …

Submerged Fermentation

February 4, 2021February 28, 2019 by Sagar Aryal

Fermentation is the technique of biological conversion of complex substrates into simple compounds by various microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. In the course of this metabolic breakdown, they also release several additional compounds apart from the usual products of fermentation, such as carbon dioxide and alcohol. These additional compounds are called secondary metabolites. Secondary metabolites range from several antibiotics …