Clinical Research in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

Mankind has forever been taming and controlling many forms of life to serve human purposes. This dates back to basic agriculture and animal farming, where humans created controlled environments to domesticate animals and cultivate plants for nourishment, industry, and eventually medicine. With these older processes, we did not do much to actually alter the biological organisms we worked with.

With advancements in technology, we have learned to biologically alter or modify living organisms to further advance our capacities to feed ourselves and heal ourselves, among other things. This process is known as biotechnology, or biotech for short. It is responsible for many of our greatest achievement in understanding, controlling and treating many medical conditions in the pharmaceutical industry. Because of the complexity and sophistication of this field, it requires extensive clinical research in order to avoid many unpredictable and potentially harmful negative consequences.

Clinical research for biotechnological pharmaceuticals must undergo several extensive phases, all with varying numbers of trial participants, doses, and lengths of time for the trial. Some common phases include pure lab trials, trials on non-human subjects, like animals, small-dose trials on healthy participants, and full-dose trials on participants for whom the trial is aimed to help. Due to these strict procedures for clinical research in biotechnology, much has been learned in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries that have helped develop medicine that is proven to be effective and safe. Here are some examples of bio technologically-produced products:

- Monoclonal antibodies

- Chimeric antibodies

- Fusion proteins

- Microorganisms

- Synthetic insulins

- Synthetic antibiotics

These various developments are used in an extremely diverse spectrum of treatments, from cancer, hepatitis B and C, arthritis, hemophilia, multiple sclerosis, coronary disease, cardiac dysrhythmias, and even cerebrovascular disease such as stroke, and this is only naming a few.

So what is the difference between normal pharmaceuticals and biotechnological pharmaceuticals? The difference isn't just the level of technological sophistication. One of the main differences is actually size. Biotechnological drugs are made up of much larger molecules than regular pharmaceutical drugs. Because of this, the process of having them locate and bind with molecules in the body is much more difficult than orally-taken smaller molecules in traditional pharmaceuticals. This is one reason why clinical research procedures for biotechnological pharmaceuticals is far more extensive than non-biotech ones.

Working in biotechnology requires highly-trained and skilled professionals who take the synthesis of biology and technology extremely seriously. Clinical research training is often the first step to understanding the complexity and seriousness of this modern marriage of two sciences. Being part of a team from the conception of a theory, through its phases, to the completed manufacturing of a new organism made to serve mankind is a great responsibility, and with great rewards not only for the researcher, but for the health of the entire population.

Visit the Academy of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences for more information on clinical research courses.

Michael Zunenshine is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other Web marketing services and tools.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Zunenshine
http://EzineArticles.com/?Clinical-Research-in-Pharmaceutical-Biotechnology&id=7367594

Biotechnology - Bringing Out the Best in Pharmacy

With the advent of science and research, technology plays an important role in our life, touching every aspect of it. Biotechnology is no exception to this. Biotechnology, is a research based stream of science that covers biological sciences like genetics, microbiology, animal cell culture, molecular biology, biochemistry, embryology, cell biology and other fields like chemical engineering, bioprocess engineering, information technology and bio-robotics, which are beyond the purview of biological sciences. Continuous research, development and the need for betterment is an integral part of Biotechnology. Scientists, researchers, students of medicine, and pharmaceutical firms are always in pursuit of inventions and modifications that will simplify lives further.

Biotechnology has revolutionized agriculture with application of genetic engineering, animal cell culture, plant cell culture and other categories of science. Better production in terms of quality and quantity has been achieved. The nutritional value has been enhanced by modification; spoilage of perishable items like vegetables and fruits has been minimized. Going further, even the taste, appearance and texture can be altered through biotechnology. It also enables farmers to reduce fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemicals to protect crops from pests and weeds. For this purpose scientists introduce herbicides that do not damage crops. Currently, studies on developing vaccines and insulin from plants, is being carried out. Such cost-effective measures will surely be a boon for developing countries of the world.

Formerly, Biotechnology was restricted to agriculture, but now it has expanded to other fields like medicine. From discovery of drugs to determining methods of drug usage, Biotechnology plays an important role. Genetic diseases and other illnesses like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cancer, arthritis, hemophilia, bone fractures, multiple sclerosis, and cardiovascular disorders can be treated through Biotechnology. With its aid, you can manufacture effective and inexpensive medicines.

Another branch of Biotechnology is Genetic Testing that has helped researchers in decoding DNA, studying its structure and so forth. Prenatal diagnostic screening, Cancer Screening and Carrier screening is facilitated by genetic testing. Forensic labs are now equipped with the latest devices and testing equipments, that help resolving criminal cases. Many experiments and clinical studies undertaken, have further thrown light on DNA, RNA and other complex molecular structures.

Apart from that, Biotechnology also helps in the conservation and protection of environment. An ever-increasing demand for fuel has caused depletion of oil resources. Biotechnology has also resulted in the evolution of Biofuels that are derived from sugarcane, plant vegetable oils, animal fats and recycled greases, thereby providing a cleaner and greener environment.

With each passing day, Biotechnology with its innovations and applications improves quality of life. Environmental degradation, over-dependence on natural resources and other issues that are grappling the world today, are steadily being resolved. With better medicines, finer treatments and sophisticated medical centers, the average life expectancy has also increased.

In a nutshell, Biotechnology has widened the horizons of modern science and improved every aspect of human life.

Susan Parker is an experienced medical writer, specializing in writing on how biotechnology and pharmacy are partnering to develop the best in medication. Know more on Research Services and pharmaceuticals from Cirruspharm

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_David_Parker
http://EzineArticles.com/?Biotechnology---Bringing-Out-the-Best-in-Pharmacy&id=4744736