Biological Research

Biotechnology is not a new phenomenon; its techniques have been used throughout history. Microorganisms have been used since early times to make bread and beer. These processes were the beginnings of the microbial fermentation technologies that continue to be practiced today. It was not until the 1970s, however, that scientists learned to reach into living organisms and precisely alter their genetic structures, leading to the development of metabolic engineering, which takes advantage of advances in DNA cloning and sequencing technologies, synthesis and amplification techniques, arming scientists with the ability to target and purposefully alter metabolic pathways within organisms. This will result in a better understanding and utilization of the cellular pathways for chemical transformation, energy transduction, and supermolecular assembly.