Home > Encyclopedia of Science > Biotechnology

• History of biotechnology
• Hybridization
• Words to Know
• Discovery of DNA leads to genetic engineering
• Monoclonal antibodies

Biotechnology is the application of biological processes in the development of products. These products may be organisms, cells, parts of a cell, or chemicals for use in medicine, biology, or industry.

History of biotechnology

Biotechnology has been used by humans for thousands of years in the production of beer and wine. In a process called fermentation, microorganisms such as yeasts and bacteria are mixed with natural products that the microorganisms use as food. In winemaking, yeasts live on the sugars found in grape juice. They digest...