Biotechnology

What is Biotechnology?

Biotechnology is arguably one of the most exciting sectors in science at the moment. According to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Biotechnology is a discipline that is primarily concerned with the development of “Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use".

Biotechnology offers many overlaps across a multitude of sectors, including medical and clinical research, agriculture, environmental, food production, cancer research, bio-robotics and defence. 

Whilst the field of genetic engineering is often emotive, the sector is highly regulated and some of the common misconceptions of the industry are no longer as prevalent, through the harmonisation of EU and International regulatory bodies.

Why choose a career in Biotechnology? 

Over the past 20 years, the Biotechnology industry has grown exponentially and public attitudes to this sector have changed. The biotechnology industry continues to flourish nationwide and across the globe, which has resulted in the total number of biotechnology companies increasing rapidly and employment in the biotechnology field continues to grow at a very high rate. If you are not sure what direction you should go in, but you are fundamentally looking to make a difference to the world we live in, biotechnology makes room for everybody. No matter if you are a computer geek, a math nerd, a biology expert or a chemistry guru – each of these disciplines and their many variants have their foundations firmly cemented in this field.

Disciplines in Biotechnology

• Biomedical engineering
• Biomanufacturing
• Genetic engineering
• Embryology
• Cell culture
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Molecular biology
• Cell chemistry
• Bioinformatics