The application of technology to living organisms. Biotechnology dates back centuries to plant and animal breeding, which creates a new generation with different characteristics. However, today, the term has become synonymous with high-tech research and development in the medical field.
Bioinformatics vs. Biotechnology
Whereas bioinformatics uses computers and AI to analyze DNA and detect mutations, biotechnology applies the results to develop new drugs, gene therapies and other biological products. By 2050, scientists expect that biotechnology will have rendered many of today's medical procedures obsolete. See
bio computer,
bioinformatics,
biosensor and
Human Genome Project.