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Biotechnology

What is Biotechnology?

Poster

Biotechnology is the harnessing of the biochemical, genetic and cell processes of living organisms for our own use. Biotechnology has broad applications that affect many areas of society including agriculture, medicine, food, and the environment. Modern biotechnology is based upon model systems drawn from all life forms - viruses, bacteria, plants and animals of varying complexity - which provides detailed knowledge of cells and their DNA. Biotechnology is commonly used in the following fields:

Wildlife Conservation

A range of biotechnologies are now being applied to the conservation of threatened species. These include freezing sperm and eggs to assist the breeding of endangered species and the use of molecular genetics to manage small populations threatened by inbreeding.

Human Health

Stem cells, with their ability to form diverse cell types, is an example of an exciting area of contemporary Biotechnology research, which will assist the medical field in developing treatments for many diseases and other medical conditions. The pharmaceutical industry uses Biotechnology methods to produce vaccines, insulin and human growth hormones. DNA technology has contributed greatly to disease diagnosis. Through our spearheading the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development, we are involved in important male infertility,cancer research and reproductive technologies.

Reproductive Technologies

A range of reproductive technologies, such as IVF, have been developed by biotechnologists to assist infertile couples to have children. Biotechnology research aims to increase the success rate of IVF and other assisted reproduction strategies.

Environmental Toxicology and Remediation

Biotechnologists are involved in developing innovative ways to monitor pollutants in the environment and in developing tools to remove these pollutants using natural or genetically modified organisms. The University's Tom Farrell Institute holds regular forums on the impact of current environmental issues on our local region.

Biofuels

Plants can convert solar energy into biochemical energy using photosynthesis. Plant biotechnologists aim to increase plant biomass as a carbon-neutral energy source to produce ethanol as a biofuel. Also, legumes hold promise as a source of biodiesel with their unique ability to produce their own nitrogen fertiliser via a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobia bacteria and their production of oil rich seed.

Food Production and Agriculture

Biofortification, the process of nutritionally enhancing food, has been used to create products such as "Golden Rice". This food product will assist countries with a large, malnourished population to reduce their Vitamin A deficiency levels and eliminate susceptibility to life threatening infectious disease. Biotechnology research has also contributed to the development of sustainable agricultural practices. Lecturers from our Biotechnology program are part of the internationally renowned Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Legume Research, a research network that focuses on plant science research.

Overcoming viral and bacterial disease

Biotechnology offers new strategies to treat viral and bacterial disease through the production of antivirals and alternatives to antibiotics

Putting microbes to work

There is a diverse array of microbes on the planet that have the potential to extract metals in the mining industry and to produce biochemicals for a range of industrial uses. Modern molecular biology already uses many bacterial products such as bacterial enzymes that enable the production of DNA from RNA.

Wildlife Management

Biotechnology offers the possibility of whole new ways of dealing with invasive pest species like the cane toad or biosecurity threats posed by wildlife as disease carriers to people or other animals.

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