The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines biotechnology as:
“Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.”
The field of modern biotechnology is thought to have largely begun on June 16, 1980, when the United States Supreme Court ruled that a genetically modified microorganism could be patented in the case of Diamond v. Chakrabarty, Indian-born Ananda Chakrabarty, working for General Electric, had developed a bacterium (derived from the Pseudomonas genus) capable of breaking down crude oil, which he proposed to use in treating oil spills.
Rising demand for biofuels is expected to be good news for the biotechnology sector, with the Department of Energy (US) estimating ethanol usage could reduce U.S. petroleum-derived fuel consumption by up to 30% by 2030. The biotechnology sector has allowed the U.S. farming industry to rapidly increase its supply of corn and soybeans—the main inputs into biofuels—by developing genetically modified seeds which are resistant to pests and drought. By boosting farm productivity, biotechnology plays a crucial role in ensuring that biofuel production targets are met.
The Biotech Industry
In Russia Biotechnology industry is sometimes divided into four areas:
• «Red” Biotechnology – the production of biopharmaceuticals (proteins, enzymes, antibodies) for the person, as well as the correction of the genetic code.
• «Green” Biotechnology – development and introduction to the culture of genetically modified plants.
• «White» Biotechnology – the production of biofuels, enzymes and biomaterials for various industries.
• The academic and government research – for example, the genome of rice.
According to analysts, the Russian market is predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 8.3% over the next few years and approximately 53% of the biopharmaceuticals market in Russia is comprised of innovative medicines.
The Russian Government has a program known as The Comprehensive Program for Development of Biotechnology in the Russian Federation through 2020. This document sets targets for growing the industry and creating an innovation economy in which biotechnology is a critical component by 2020. The plan outlines activities to boost financing to support R&D activities, particularly in the area of agricultural biotechnology. Additionally, the Russian government is investing in “bioparks,” R&D clusters of biotechnology and related sectors.
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