Biotechnology is in the news a lot because North Carolina is recognized as a national leader in this field. You may have seen headlines about new biotech companies and jobs in North Carolina. But in fact, biotechnology has a long history, even though its definition has changed a bit over time.
Traditional definition: Biotechnology is the use of living organisms to solve problems and make useful products. Domesticating crop plants and farm animals through selective breeding, and using yeast to make bread rise and produce wine are examples of traditional biotechnology.
Newer definition: Biotechnology is the use of living cells and their molecules to solve problems and make useful products. Scientific advances over the last 50 years have enabled us to understand how living organisms work—and how they can work for us. The key knowledge is an understanding of cells, the basic units of life, and—at a still deeper level—the molecules that make up cells.
