Question: how does biotechnology work and does it affect us in a regular day?

Thomas McLoughlin answered on 8 Nov 2016:

Genetic engineering or GMO or Modern Biotechnology, is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genome using biotechnology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms.
It first started over 40 year ago when the first recombinant DNA molecules were created by Paul Berg, Stanford university by combining DNA from two different viral sources (monkey SV40 virus and a bacterial virus called lambda bacteriophage). In 1978, a US company called Genentech announced the production of GM human insulin. Over the past 40 years the biotechnology industry has mushroomed in particular, in the areas of Red (medical) and White (industrial) in all parts of the world and with Green (agriculture) in some parts of the world with the exception of the EU. Spain is an exception within the EU.

A second phase of genetic engineering is now underway worldwide since 2013 with the advent of gene editing technology-this allows genomes to be edited quickly and precisely without introducing foreign DNA into the resulting organism. A number of science commentators are predicting that gene editing technology for example, CRISPR-Cas (Clustered regularly-interspaced short palindromic repeats) has the propensity to revolutionise modern genetics as we know it for the benefit of mankind.
Modern Biotechnology is considered a key technology of the 21st century. The EU has adopted biotechnology as an integral part of the EU economy for job creation and sustainable development.
At a 2013, EPA GMO conference on GMOs, several speakers stated that the use of GMO Technology is helping to drive Ireland’s biopharmaceutical exports. Nine out of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies are located in Ireland, creating over 28,000 jobs. 50% of our exports arise from the Life Sciences industry, including biopharma. Biologics will dominate the world market by 2020 as companies are moving away from chemical synthesis of drugs and using biopharma as it is regarded to be more sustainable/environmentally friendly and much more precise.

GMO technology has a history of safe use in the laboratory for over 40 years and it has provided enormous benefits for science and society. Examples include, treatment of diabetes, AIDS, vaccines against viruses and Enbrel which is manufactured at Grange Castle by Pfizer and is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Yes it does affect us on a daily basis as most of us who take medicines eat food and wear denim jeans there is a good chance that GMO were involved in the process, for example, people who take insulin-most of the insulin is produced from genetically modified microorganism. The GM microbes are cultured/grown in big vats and the protein is extracted from the ‘supernatant’ and purified before it can be used as an injection. If you eat jam on your bread it is likely that enzyme that are used came form GM fungi and the denims-GM cotton!