Opportunities for Biotechnology Research and Entrepreneurship

The development of biotechnology has led to improvements in the nutritional value and quality of foods consumed by humans, thereby benefiting their health. Globally, foods developed through biotechnology are heavily studied and judged by governments, health authorities, and scientists. By applying food biotechnology, we can reduce the number of naturally occurring poisons and allergies in food. Food biotechnology can be used by farmers and food producers to provide a safe, convenient, and affordable food supply posing new challenges and opportunities for the prevention of disease. It mainly involves the use of genes from plants, microbes, and animals with a view to enhance productivity and nutritional benefits. The interdisciplinary field of food biotechnology employs modern biotechnology principles to produce, process and manufacture foodstuffs. A variety of tools are used in food biotechnology, including traditional breeding methods such as cross-breeding. There are also various modern techniques including genetic engineering which increase the yield. The aim of food biotechnology is to increase the crop yield for the welfare of farmers and to provide nutritional foods for people around the world. There are various concerns associated with the development of food biotechnology. In this paper, the future prospects of food biotechnology are discussed.

Functional foods and ingredients offer health benefits that extend beyond their nutritional value. To develop functional foods, often functional ingredients or supplements are added to create desired properties, especially in the area of health improvement. Many well-known functional ingredients can be obtained from biological processes including probiotics, prebiotics, beta-glucan, enzymes, peptides, antioxidants, medium or short-chain fatty acids, vitamins, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the biotechnological process that is used to create high-quality functional ingredients. This chapter gives an overview of functional foods and ingredients in terms of definition, category, biological production, safety, and future functional foods. Functional food can not only prevent nutrient deficiencies but also protect against diseases and promote proper growth and development, as well as enhance health by boosting the intake of important nutrients. Innovations in functional foods and ingredient development would result from understanding more about their biotechnological manufacturing.

The world’s population is expected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050. In order to feed the number of people sustainably by 2050, we need to increase 56 percent of crop production. However, the impact of climate change, including temperature increase, changes in rainfall patterns, and outbreaks of pests and diseases, will affect agricultural productivity and the agricultural industry to adapt to changes in technology and demand for food. Biotechnology has been applied in crop production for many years. However, industrial food biotechnology is still neglected. Advances in the food biotechnology industry can lead to cutting-edge technologies in agriculture adapting to climate change while reducing the impact on the climate. This review brings out the role of industrial food biotechnology in improving food quality upon climate change, especially in Vietnam. This also demonstrates industrial food biotechnology as part of the solution to climate change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; then, we recommended technological progress in industrial food biotechnology with the future vision: Vietnam’s green economy.

Mushrooms are popular because of their high nutritional value. Biotechnology provides powerful tools for the sustainable development of mushrooms. Many advances in the non-meat-based food industry represent the significant role of mushroom biotechnology. Mushrooms are a rich source of proteins and have low or zero fat and cholesterol. In addition, some mushrooms are a source of bioactive compounds. Therefore, mushroom-based products have become widely accepted foods worldwide. The new techniques used to meet the consumer requirements of the mushroom increase the quality and convenience to use new product development. Technological developments have generally witnessed increasing crop production capacities in cultivation technologies. Besides that, new mushroom-based food products are developing; and the production techniques are innovated to improve the quality of final mushroom-based goods. The mushroom-based products are mainly produced as a result of contributions from mushroom cultivation in developing countries such as China, Europe, India, USA, and Vietnam. The challenge is finding opportunities to increase mushroom and mushroom-based product consumption capabilities with increasing world population and non-meat-based food consumption. This chapter reviews the recent advances and challenges for sustainable production of mushroom-based products as a non-meat food source in the food industry.

Biotechnology is making essential contributions and poses significant challenges to aquaculture and fisheries' new product development via enhancing taste, shell life, nutrition, and quality and reducing waste. Aquatic products biotechnology might be regarded as reliable for enhancing and expanding the production and processing of sustainable food products created for the future of the expanding global population. Aquatic product biotechnology consists of (1) new technological applications in aquatic farming to improve productivity and feed utilization, (2) commercial packaging technology for preservation, and (3) effective use of byproducts or wastes and the process of product innovation. Some insights into the biotechnological development of aquatics production in Vietnam are reviewed in this chapter. 

Recently, many advances in plant-based food biotechnology are a wideranging science that uses modern technologies to produce food products. Biotechnologists and food scientists' new instruments, methods, industry, and products enhance taste, shell life, nutrition, and food quality. Food biotechnology is as ancient as civilization, via fermentation, to produce food products such as beer, wine, vinegar, sauce, fermented vegetables, etc. Besides that, genetically modified (GM) yeasts and bacteria are used to enhance the products' quality and produce enzymes for improving the quality of plant-based food products. This chapter summarizes the roles and some of the applications of biotechnology in plant-based food processing and food preservation.

Microalgae technology has made significant advances in recent decades. Initially, Microalgae attracted the interest and attention of the scientific community as a renewable resource for biofuels. Besides, it also has the potential to accumulate lipids and biomass significantly in a short period. Recent studies have shown that microalgae's bioactive peptide could be well-suited with great potential in human nutritional support. Therefore, a bioactive peptide derived from various strains of microalgae could be a potentially significant source for developing novel nutraceuticals and functional foods that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and arteriosclerosis. The bioactive peptide has also been used in anti-wrinkle and anti-aging skincare products, where it serves to stimulate the creation of proteins in the skin. Although some microalgae have reported antimicrobial and antivirus peptides, the understanding of peptides with these properties is still unclear and not described. Interest in microalgae-derived peptides is overgrowing. This review highlights and discusses the cutting-edge features of their research and applications to develop new therapeutic drugs, cosmetics, and other valuable products. It is also exploring the technology for microalgae peptide extraction and purification. 

Anthropogenic events have caused environment all around the world to deteriorate, rendering them unsuited for the existence of indigenous biological species. Over the last few decades, environmental contamination seems to have been a prominent subject of concern, affecting the wellbeing of people. The environments have been gravely damaged by excessive industrialization, inappropriate farming techniques, and unregulated release of contaminants into soil and aquatic bodies. As a result, there has been poor utilization of natural resources, increase in deforestation, a decline of flora and fauna, drinking water scarcity, and significant economic losses which are challenging. The need to develop innovative, eco-friendly, low-cost, and much more effective environmental remediation technologies emerged as a result of environmental pollution. Microbes are well recognised for their propensity to degrade and absorb a broad range of organic chemicals and are now utilized to clean up environmental pollution through the process of 'bioremediation'. The bioremediation process involves a variety of microorganisms that help in degradation, eradication, immobilization, or detoxification of different chemical pollutants from the environment. Bioremediation methods are widely used and are still increasing at an enormous speed nowadays. Entrepreneurship can be developed by commercializing bioremediation in saving the environment.

The use of enzymes, microorganisms, and plants to create energy, and industrial chemicals for consumers is industrial biotechnology. This sector utilizes natural processes to maximise and improve biochemical pathways that can be used in the manufacturing process. The integration of biotechnology into industrial processes is changing not only how we produce goods but also bringing us new goods that were unthinkable just a few years ago and has created a lot of room for innovation and entrepreneurship. The commercial aspects of industrial biotechnology as well as the possible fundamental strategies associated with working biotech entrepreneurs and professionals in addition to its scope and risk involved in it are discussed here.

Industrial Biotechnology is concerned with the sustainable production of materials from renewable sources. It is one of the widely recognized fields of biotechnology as it is associated with a decreased utilization of energy sources and reduced emission of greenhouse gases and its popularity in terms of economic value in recent years. With such concerns, the current chapter provides an insight into the opportunities for building start-ups and research scope in the field of Industrial Biotechnology and focuses on the various opportunities for initiating a start-up related to the field of Industrial Biotechnology. Moreover, it highlights the attractive approaches for setting up and developing the start-ups and government schemes associated with them. The scope of research and various research opportunities for students and scholars are highlighted in the field of Industrial Biotechnology. Since entrepreneurship based on innovation has immense potential in any field, the chapter highlights the essential entrepreneurial skills and various innovations happening in this era of Industrial Revolution.

Biopharmaceuticals include vaccines, bioengineering drugs, blood products, genetic engineering drugs, microecological preparations, and recombinant therapeutic proteins. They are intended for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human diseases. Biopharmaceuticals are delivered using different drug delivery methods which include nanoparticles, microparticles, jet injections, depot injections, and pumps. It can be administered orally or in injectable form. In recent years, most of the biopharmaceuticals including monoclonal antibodies are available as liquid formulations. The emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases require the development of newer diagnostic tools and pharmacotherapeutic approaches. The traditional approach may take a long time to get a new lead, whereas the biotechnological applications may give highly specific antibodies which can minimize the time of the drug discovery process and these molecules may have high specificity. In the last few decades, many biopharmaceuticals have been approved for various indications including cancer treatment. Many countries consider the biopharmaceutical sector to be one of the most important industries for national growth. Biopharmaceuticals have wider applications and it is gaining much more attention clinically than conventional pharmaceuticals. The purpose of the chapter is to highlight the importance of biopharmaceuticals and their prospects.

Discovering new secondary metabolites is an especially urgent task due to the rapid spread of bacterial resistance and the emergence of multi-resistant pathogenic strains of infectious diseases. Octocorals (soft corals and gorgonians) are a highly diverse group of marine organisms, which are known to contain a rich variety of rare and unusual secondary metabolites. These substances show not only great significance in chemical ecology but also various biological activities. Despite the intense interest in the isolation of novel compounds from octocorals, little is known about within and between-habitat variability in the levels and types of compounds in these species. Marine organisms living in extreme environments evolve unique strategies by biosynthesizing more diverse compounds than their counterparts living in moderate environments. Coral reefs of the Gulf of Mannar in India have a more moderate environment (with a sedimentation rate of 12.31 mg.cm-2day-1); whereas the Gulf of Kachchh is a marginal reef experiencing arid climate and heavy sedimentation rate (upto119.60 mg.cm-2d -1). In a preliminary cytotoxicity assay, carried out to evaluate the bioactivity of selected soft corals from the Gulf of Mannar and the Gulf of Kachchh, the highest cytotoxicity was exhibited by Mannar soft corals, Sinularia leptoclados (LC50=25.15μg/ml) followed by Sarcophyton ehrenbergi (LC50=43.76μg/ml). Whereas soft corals collected from the Gulf of Kachchh exhibited higher cytotoxicity than the Mannar samples (Si. leptoclados (LC50=19.24μg/ml) followed by Si. polydactyla (LC50=24.50μg/ml). Extreme physico-chemical and biological conditions in the Kachchh are the drive for the production of variant molecules with specific adaptations. Hence, soft corals inhabited in extreme waters may yield more effective compounds that may potentially be useful in drug development for existing and emerging human ailments. 

Science-based businesses are taking a new dimension today. Biotechnological innovations and inventions are given much attention in transforming laboratory findings into business. Vaccine technology, since the pandemic 2019, has become a billion-dollar business. An integrated approach of nanotechnology and biotechnology as a single unit called Nano biotechnology opens a promising avenue for business opportunities in health care. After the SARS-CoV-2 threat emerged, intensive searches were accelerated to find remedial measures from different systems of medicine. In this search, nanoparticles of both organic and inorganic origin are prioritized, and research in nano -biotechnology gets immediate attention. Laboratory research is intensified to formulate and patent some products to fight against the coronavirus attack. Bio-inspired inorganic nanoparticles are reasonable in using nanoparticles as a workhorse for biomedical applications. The biosynthesized nanoparticles and quantum dots of gold, silver, cadmium, titanium, etc., have multiple biomedical applications. The biogenic nanometal products enhance immunity, fight against viruses, help in diagnosis, and play a role in preparing antiviral dressings, face masks, and drug carriers. This venture promotes promising business avenues.

Biopharma industries are interested in developing the nanotechnology-based therapeutic drug dexamethasone for SARS-CoV-2 drugs; nano-based vaccination to boost immune responses is also progressing. The global market for nanobiotechnology is expected to reach $68.4 billion by 2026. As nanobiotechnology-based business is becoming a promising area for start-ups and entrepreneurs, the stakeholders can utilize the opportunity as quoted “make hay while the sun shines”.

Medical biotechnology is one of its branches which involves the application of medicine and biotechnology resources. Entrepreneurship is said to be the development of a new business making profits where innovation and creditability are considered as the backbone for its expansion. In the field of medical biotechnology, the innovation of new medicines, methods for the identification and analysis of new diseases, discovery of new solutions for a complex problem by satisfying the specific needs, etc., are involved. In this chapter, various approaches and ideas for becoming an entrepreneur in the field of medical biotechnology are discussed briefly. 

Translational research by budding scientists in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological field demands the application of their knowledge to a bedside medical problem. Career opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector range from bench-side research which includes screening, discovery and development, and operational activities to manufacture, quality control, and marketing, including pharmacovigilance. The success of trials leading to commercialization is determined by the quality of research conducted in academia with the ultimate goal of moving the product ahead. Early career researchers should have a deep understanding of pharmaceutical products, particularly advanced drug delivery systems (DDS). Advanced DDS such as niosomes, liposomes, dendrimers, nanoparticles, and others are developed to increase drug distribution and bioavailability. DDS can accomplish localized or systemic drug distribution by careful selection of excipients. DDS could be used to deliver all types of therapeutic molecules, including biological macromolecules, to the site of action with more stability. However, one must be aware of several factors, including the physicochemical properties of the drug, formulation parameters, physiological considerations, intersubject variability, and the choice of an appropriate animal model for in vivo studies. In addition, the in vitro and in-vivo correlation (IVIVC) should be considered, as it confidently converts the bench trial to a market level for bedside applications. Accordingly, this review focuses on factors that influence drug delivery, approaches to drug delivery systems, excipient selection strategies, ways to translate the pilot scale to industrial scale, and the basic requirements of the pharmaceutical sector for product commercialization. Furthermore, this chapter will also discuss some of the possible funding avenues to nurture drug discovery and development to motivate early-career entrepreneurs.