Biotechnology and Microbiology

Agricultural Biotechnology is a collection of scientific techniques used to improve plants, animals and microorganisms. Based on an understanding of DNA, scientists have developed solutions to increase agricultural productivity. Starting from the ability to identify genes that may confer advantages on certain crops, and the ability to work with such characteristics very precisely, biotechnology enhances breeders’ ability to make improvements in crops and livestock. Biotechnology enables improvements that are not possible with traditional crossing of related species alone. To accomplish these goals, Biotechnologists develop products to protect animals and crops from disease and help farmers identify the best animals and seeds to use in selective breeding programs. 

Medical Biotechnology is the use of living cells and cell materials to research and produce pharmaceutical and diagnostic products that help treat and prevent human diseases. Most medical biotechnologists work in academic or industrial settings. In academic laboratories, these professionals conduct experiments as part of medical research studies; industrial biotechnologists work toward developing drugs or vaccines. The medical biotechnology field has helped bring to market microbial pesticides, insect-resistant crops, and environmental clean-up techniques

Industrial Biotechnology is one of the most promising new approaches to pollution prevention, resource conservation, and cost reduction. It is often referred to as the third wave in biotechnology. If developed to its full potential, industrial biotechnology may have a larger impact on the world than health care and agricultural biotechnology. Industrial biotechnology involves working with nature to maximize and optimize existing biochemical pathways that can be used in manufacturing. The industrial biotechnology revolution rides on a series of related developments in three fields of study of detailed information derived from the cell: genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics. 

Pure Microbiology is a branch deals with application of microorganisms in the field of science for the production of human beneficial products such as medicines, antibiotics, vaccines, enzymes, biotechnological products. Micro-organisms possess membrane-bound cell organelles and include fungi and protists, whereas prokaryotic organisms all of which are microorganisms are conventionally classified as lacking membrane-bound organelles and include eubacteria and archaebacteria. Microbiologists traditionally relied on culture, staining, and microscopy. 

Medical Microbiology also known as “clinical microbiology”, is the study of microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, which cause a human illness and their role in the disease. The microbes and the branch of microbiology are the most studied due to their great importance to medicine. Medical microbiology studies development and progress of the infectious disease in a patient and in human population (epidemiology). It is related to the study of disease pathology and immunology. It is a branch of medicine and microbiology and includes five sciences: bacteriology, virology, parasitology, immunology and mycology. It is used for the production of drugs and antibiotic medicines. It also helps to create or design organisms. Through the process of genetic manipulation it helps to cure genetic issues in organisms. It also helps in analysing diseases in organisms. It also helps in developing new ways of diagnosis by performing tests. With the help of stem cell therapy it helps the organs to grow and it also cures the damaged issues in organisms.

Pharmaceutical Microbiology is an applied branch of Microbiology. It involves the study of microorganisms associated with the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Other aspects of pharmaceutical microbiology include the research and development of anti-infective agents, the use of microorganisms to detect mutagenic and carcinogenic activity in prospective drugs, and the use of microorganisms in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products like insulin and human growth hormone.

Industrial Microbiology is the use of microbes in industrial processes like industrial fermentation, waste-water treatment. It is linked to industry. It deals with screening, improvement, management and exploitation of microorganisms for production. It is useful for the production of end products on a large scale. Industrial microbiology includes the use of microorganisms to manufacture food or industrial products in large quantities. Numerous microorganisms are used within industrial microbiology; these include naturally occurring organisms, laboratory selected mutants, or even genetically modified organisms.

Microbial Biotechnology, enabled by genome studies, will lead to breakthroughs such as improved vaccines and better disease-diagnostic tools, improved microbial agents for biological control of plant and animal pests, modifications of plant and animal pathogens for reduced virulence, development of new industrial catalysts and fermentation organisms, and development of new microbial agents for bioremediation of soil and water contaminated by agricultural runoff.

Food Microbiology deals with study of association of micro-organism with food. Micro-organism deal with food in two ways one it can spoil the food and spread the infection or disease. Secondly it can used some substrate and convert into a product that is fermentation. Micro-organism can ferment the substrate and form the product like curd, Idli, Cheese, Butter etc. If the quality of food is not check properly it may result in spread of food born diseases. So the study related fermentation and quality check of food is important.

Agricultural Microbiology is a field of study concerned with plant-associated microbes. It aims to address problems in agricultural practices usually caused by a lack of biodiversity in microbial communities. An understanding of microbial strains relevant to agricultural applications is useful in the enhancement of factors such as soil nutrients, plant-pathogen resistance, crop robustness, fertilization uptake efficiency, and more. The many symbiotic relationships between plants and microbes can ultimately be exploited for greater food production necessary to feed the expanding human populace, in addition to safer farming techniques for the sake of minimizing ecological disruption.

Veterinary Microbiology is concerned with microbial (bacterial, fungal, viral) diseases of domesticated animals (livestock, companion animals, fur-bearing animals, game, poultry, and fish) that supply food, other useful products or companionship. In addition, Microbial diseases of wild animals living in captivity, or as members of the feral fauna will also be considered if the infections are of interest because of their interrelation with humans (zoonoses) and/or domestic animals. Studies of antimicrobial resistance are also included.

Environmental Microbiology is the study of microorganisms living in a variety of environments (air, soil, water, etc.) and their pathogenic relationship to other organisms including man.it includes (a) Microbial community genetics and evolutionary processes (b) element cycles and biogeochemical processes (c) Microbial life in extreme and unusual little-explored environments, (d)Structure and activities of microbial communities (e)Population biology of microorganisms etc.

Water Microbiology is the study of all biological aspects of the microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, parasites and protozoa) that exist in water. Water can support the growth of many types of microorganisms. This can be advantageous. As well, the growth of some bacteria in contaminated water can help digest the poisons from the water. However, the presence of other disease causing microbes in water is unhealthy and even life threatening.

Chemistry is the study of the properties of and interactions between matter and energy. In other words, chemistry is a way to study the properties, characteristics, and physical and chemical changes of matter.

It is sometimes called the central science because it provides a foundation for understanding both basic and applied scientific disciplines at a fundamental level. It include plant chemistry (botany), the formation of igneous rocks (geology), how atmospheric ozone is formed and how environmental pollutants are degraded (ecology), the properties of the soil on the moon (astrophysics), how medications work (pharmacology), and how to collect DNA evidence at a crime scene (forensics).