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Start of Biotechnology
Biotechnology started with the field of zymotechnology or zymurgy, which was started to figure out how fermentation works -
Single-Cell Protein Project
When the protein gap threatened world hunger, producing food locally by growing it from waste was a viable solution. This process consisted of growing microorganisms on oil, which helped found corporations such as British Petroleum. -
Biosensor Technology
The MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, or MOS transistor) was invented by Mohamed M. Atalla and Dawon Kahng in 1960 and two years later, L.C. Clark and C. Lyons invented the biosensor. Biosensor MOSFETs (BioFETs) were developed, and are to measure physical, chemical, biological, and environmental factors. In the mid-1980s and early 2000s, other BioFETs with specific uses were developed. -
Genetic Engineering
There were two events that joined genetics with biotechnology. One was the 1953 discovery of the DNA structure by Watson and Crick and the other was the 1973 discovery of a recombinant DNA technique by Cohen and Boyer. In the 1960s "genetic engineering" was described as work involving the manipulation of the human genome, emphasizing the importance of curing people. -
Gasohol Project
When people began to reject the idea of single-cell proteins due to the rising oil prices, the U.S. government promoted gasohol production to help with this energy problem. Gasohol is gasoline with 10 percent alcohol added. -
Biotechnology Industry
The industry focused on products in the profitable pharmaceutical industry: human growth hormone and interferon. By 1980, a new company, Biogen, produced interferon through recombinant DNA. This interferon and the possibility of curing cancer raised money for more research. The 1970s cancer fight added AIDS in the 1980s, offering a huge potential market for successful therapies and tests.