Bio Revolution: Latest Tech Advancements

Consider a world in which we can make meat without using animals, treat previously incurable diseases by modifying a person's genetic fabric, and produce industrial chemicals in yeast factories. The basic technologies that could make all of this possible are mostly in place. Rapid and decreasingly expensive DNA sequencing has increased our understanding of how biology functions, and methods like CRISPR are now being used to recode biology in order to treat diseases or make crops more resistant to climate change. This is referred to as the Bio Revolution.

 

The Bio Revolution is already benefiting society, according to a new McKinsey Global Institute research paper that we helped co-author. Scientific responses to the Covid-19 pandemic have been fueled by a convergence of advancements in biological science and ever faster and more complex computing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence technologies. Scientists sequenced the virus's genome in weeks, not months, as in prior epidemics. Bioinnovations are allowing for the speedy implementation of vaccination clinical trials, the search for effective therapeutics, and a thorough examination of the virus's transmission patterns.

 

What is the Bio Revolution?

 

The Bio Revolution is a natural movement occurring throughout the earth. As our population grows, technology is being used more and more to assist solve problems and make life easier. This new revolution is all about improving our physical and mental wellbeing. As more people seek methods to improve the quality of their lives, numerous innovative solutions are being developed on a regular basis. The Bio Revolution is a word coined by specialists to describe what is now happening, however there are differing views on how we should handle this new technology and how active we should be in it.

 

Biotechnologies are also important in "bio-fortification." Millions of people in over 100 nations, especially in developing countries, suffer from vitamin A deficiency, which can lead to blindness if left untreated. Another common symptom in the undernourished population is anemia induced by iron deficiency. The advancement of new technologies has always inspired astonishment and wonder. However, not all have been met with enthusiasm; there have also been concerns about how these might damage humanity.

 

On the one hand, it promises to solve two of humanity's most pressing problems: famine and sickness. People, on the other hand, are apprehensive about reopening Pandora's box and releasing unknown energies that could be exploited for evil.

 

The bio revolution, propelled by AI, automation, and DNA sequencing, promises the creation of gene therapies, hyper-personalized pharmaceuticals, and genetics-based food and exercise recommendations. These technological advances will create new markets, but they will also raise some serious ethical concerns. "Organizations must evaluate their bQ, or biological quotient, which measures how well they understand biological science and its implications." They should then decide how much money to devote to biological technologies and capabilities, and whether to incorporate them into their existing R&D or collaborate with science-based start-ups.

 

Also Read | Applications of AI in Biotechnology

 

How are Businesses benefiting from the Bio- Revolution?

 

We see three ways that the biorevolution can benefit business:

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How are Business Benefiting From Bio Revolution?

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1. Creating new products and driving incremental demand:

 

We anticipate that product innovation will expand beyond the health-care industry to other areas such as food and agriculture. Traditional biological therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies, have been among the most profitable pharmaceuticals on a national scale in recent years. The FDA approved the first gene treatment in 2017, and more than 20 cell and gene therapies are now approved.3 The effectiveness of mRNA vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 demonstrates the technology's promise.

 

A better understanding of human biology will lead to novel treatments or improvements to existing ones. We believe that this will open up huge commercial potential for enterprises across the health care value chain. Companies that could gain include technology and material companies, diagnostic firms, and even medical devices.

 

Food and agriculture are among the oldest applications of biotechnology. Farmers have been engineering biology for ages by selecting and breeding crops with desired features such as high yields and resilience to environmental challenges. From early beginnings, the process of innovation and discovery has progressed to a more industrial and deliberate scale. One of the most significant trends is the adoption of genetically altered seeds, which is assisting in feeding the world's rising population and is being supported by additional advances in biological research.

 

2. Lowering operational dangers:

 

Companies are attempting, where possible, to move essential commodities in their supply chain to bio-based products in order to reduce operational business risk.

 

Synthetic biology is being used by specialty chemical firms in the flavor and fragrance arena, as well as cosmetic companies, to source important chemicals. Bio-based engineering can assist in the sourcing of uncommon components or the development of bespoke ingredients that are not naturally available, making their supply chains more resilient. 

 

Squalene, for example, is an uncommon component found in moisturizers. It was traditionally derived from shark livers, but it is now primarily synthesized using synthetic biology.5 Similarly, genetically modified fungi can be utilized to create flavorings and unique flavors from bio-based resources.

 

Consumer goods manufacturers will be able to minimize the amount of petroleum-based components used in products ranging from apparel to packaging, cell phones, deodorant, shampoo, vitamin capsules, and golf balls.6 The materials have a substantial impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and waste.

 

3. Resolving Sustainability Issues:

 

The biorevolution can also assist businesses in reducing GHG emissions, promoting sustainable agriculture, ecosystem health, and supply chain resilience.

 

Agriculture, in its broadest sense, is the second-largest source of GHG emissions. Raising livestock, for example, produces more methane — a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon — than oil and gas or coal activities in the United States. It accounts for 27% of total methane emissions. Farming also causes extra environmental problems due to fertilizer and pesticide runoff into streams. By enabling the creation of plant-based or cultured meat and inventing novel crops or pesticides that decrease or eliminate the need for hazardous chemicals, biorevolution can assist solve these critical challenges. 

 

Traditional agricultural enterprises are focusing on strategies to lessen their environmental effect in the field of pesticides. Bayer, a worldwide life sciences firm, is cooperating with synbio company Ginkgo Bioworks to produce nitrogen-fixation bacteria that could cut nitrogen fertilizer requirements by 40%-50%. Corteva Agriscience is also collaborating with Ginkgo to create novel crop protection solutions.

 

4. Framework for analysis:

 

We believe that the biorevolution will touch various sectors of the economy at different times and to varying degrees in the future years; it will not be a linear shift.

 

Given this view, we created a framework for evaluating organizations — our biorevolution map — that shows how we define opportunities and where we expect they will appear.  The ways that enterprises can gain from the biorevolution, as outlined in the previous section, are depicted on the map's left side. The three categories of companies are shown at the top of the map, based on how we believe they can contribute to the ongoing biorevolution. We discuss each sort of firm and provide examples below the map. The color markers reflect the most recent scoring of where the most relevant and important opportunities are showing themselves.

 

Also Read | 5 Applications of Bioprinting in Pharmaceutical Industry

 

Why is the Bio Revolution doomed to fail?

 

People feel the Bio Revolution will fail for a variety of reasons:

 

One common explanation is that individuals believe it takes too long to achieve results or development in synthetic biology. This, however, is not the case. There are numerous examples of groups of people making significant progress on extremely tough tasks in a matter of years. Projects from Harvard University and Stanford University, for example, show how teams of people may work together to solve challenges and achieve their goals.

 

Another prevalent explanation is that people believe it is too expensive to achieve results or make progress in synthetic biology. This also does not appear to be accurate, as there have been multiple successful initiatives that cost less than $100,000 for research reasons solely (excluding commercial applications). Furthermore, there are numerous grants available from government agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and even private organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that are willing to fund projects related to synthetic biology if they show promise for developing technologies that can be used by society as a whole.

 

Conclusion

 

Companies, inventors, and scientists must all be upfront about biotechnology advancements and applications. Furthermore, in order to stimulate innovation and assure the safety of biotechnology around the world, we urgently want regulation that not only allows for, but also facilitates, rapid scientific advancement.

 

We are still a long way from fulfilling the full promise of bioevolution. Global collaboration and coordination among regulators, the corporate sector, governments, associations, and institutions would be a game changer in order to embrace the benefits while also managing the risks.

 

The Bio Revolution is a revolution in the way we generate and consume resources and goods, with substantial environmental repercussions. Advances in biotechnology enable us to generate bio-based products and resources with novel features and benefits, making new sustainable practices conceivable. These changes may also have negative consequences, such as job losses and job creation, triggering disruptions in communities, economies, and cultures. Concerns have also been raised concerning the release of genetically engineered creatures into our environment.

 

Biotechnology holds enormous possibilities for poor nations. This promise, however, can only be fulfilled if these countries develop the competence required to reap the benefits of cutting-edge research and technology.