Definitions of biotechnology

The concept of 'biotech' or 'biotechnology' include a wide range of procedures starting with domestication of animals, cultivation of plants, and breeding programs that employ hybridization. Modern usage also includes genetic engineering as well as cell and tissue culture technologies. Biotechnology is defined by the American Chemical Society as the application of biological organisms, systems, or processes by various industries to learn about the science of life and the improvement of the value of materials and organisms such as pharmaceuticals, crops, and livestock. In other words, biotechnology can be defined as the mere application of technical advances in life science to develop commercial products. Biotechnology also deals with the pure biological sciences (genetics, microbiology, animal cell culture, molecular biology, biochemistry, embryology, cell biology). And in many instances it is also dependent on knowledge and methods from outside the sphere of biology including: chemical engineering,bioprocess engineering,bioinformatics (a new brand of Computer science), biorobotics.

Modern biological sciences (including even molecular ecology) are connected and dependent on the methods developed through biotechnology and what is commonly thought of as the life sciences industry. Biotechnology is the research and development in the laboratory using bioinformatics for exploration, extraction, exploitation and production from any living organisms and any source of biomass by means of biochemical engineering where high value-added products could be planned (reproduced by biosynthesis, for example), forecasted, formulated, developed, manufactured and marketed for the purpose of sustainable operations.

By contrast, bioengineering is generally thought of as a related field with its emphasis more on higher systems approaches (not necessarily changing or using biological materials directly) for connecting with and utilizing living things. Bioengineering is the application of the principles of engineering and natural sciences to tissues, cells and molecules. This can be considered as the use knowledge from working with and manipulating biology to a result that can improve functions in plants and animals.

Задание 2. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What is biotechnology?

2. Who came up with the term biotechnology?

3. What procedures does biotechnology include?

4. Biotechnology doesn’t deal with the pure biological sciences (genetics, microbiology, animal cell culture, molecular biology, biochemistry, embryology, cell biology), does it?

5. Which emphasizes more on higher systems approaches bioengineering or biotechnology?

Задание 3. Закончите следующие предложения:

1. In the late 20th and early 21st century, biotechnology has expanded to include new and diverse sciences such as …

2. Biotechnology is defined by the American Chemical Society as the …

3. Modern biological sciences (including even molecular ecology) …

4. Bioengineering is the application of the principles of …

Задание 4. Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты:

helpful

use

widen

different

variety

identify

improvement

example

unite

predict

produce

access

Практическое занятие 6

ИСТОРИЯ БИОТЕХНОГИИ

HISTORY OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Теоретическая часть

Данный лексический материал предназначен для того, чтобы студенты могли свободно ориентироваться в научном тексте и активно использовать предлагаемые слова и словосочетания в монологической и диалогической речи.

human-derived произведенный человеком

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