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The science of biotechnology shows great promise as a means of solving some of the world's most intractable problems. We finally have the tools and knowledge to begin to understand and manipulate biological functions at the most basic level, and new products are coming to market every day. The seven biggest biotechnology trends for 2011 address problems in energy, medicine, and agriculture. The speed of research is picking up and the time frame between initial discovery and development of products should see further compression during 2011. Understandably, the biotechnology trends for 2011 are generating a lot of excitement among both researchers and investors.

Alternative Energy

With petroleum prices skyrocketing again, investment in alternative renewable energy sources will increase dramatically. The first significant facility for producing fuels from algae should come online in 2011, and the breeding of algae and manipulation of the algal genome to create an optimal species for fuel production will be important endeavors. Several methods of producing cellulosic alcohol should also move toward commercial production. Scientists at both UCLA and the University of Minnesota also announced the the development of bacteria that produce butanol and other hydrocarbon fuels. Expect these processes to move toward commercialization in 2011. Some significant research will also be undertaken to duplicate the process used by plants to utilize solar energy to power chemical processes. The hope is to produce cheap hydrogen for fuel cells.

Cancer Research

The FDA approved a vaccine in 2010 that delays or even prevents the spread of an aggressive type of prostate cancer. Researchers will seek similar vaccines for other types of cancer in 2011. Better types of angiogenesis drugs should be developed in 2011 as well. These are the drugs that prevent cancers from forming the blood vessels that they need to grow and spread. Such drugs don't cure the cancer, but make it a managed chronic disease. There will also be a push to develop medications to control the IGF-1R growth hormone. By stopping the release of growth hormones, researchers believe that it may be possible to keep cancer from spreading. There are several drugs treating cancer in some way, you may buy them at online pharmacies.

Vaccines

There is a revolution going on in the vaccine field that should accelerate in 2011. Vaccines are now being viewed not only as a preventative measure, but also as a therapeutic treatment. The search is on to find vaccines to treat cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, heart disease, and a host of other conditions. Researchers are also working to find ways to develop preventive vaccines in a short period of time and to manufacture them very quickly. These vaccines will be exceptionally safe, have a long shelf life, and can be delivered by means other than needles. Another hot biotechnology field is the development and use of adjuvants for vaccines. These are materials and substances that can make a vaccine more powerful and effective.

Stem Cell Therapy

Look for stem cell therapy to get really big in 2011. This biotechnology trend has been growing over the past decade and now actual therapies are being developed. There will be a major clinical trial in 2011 to test the effectiveness of stem cells in repairing spinal cord injuries. Other types of stem cell regenerative therapies are being developed as well. Also, expect investigation into the role of stem cells in cancer growth to heat up.

RNA Therapy

This entire biotechnology field is practically unknown right now, but its profile will increase dramatically in 2011. When the human genome was sequenced, scientists expected to make rapid progress in the treatment of many diseases. So far, results have been disappointing. That is partly because the role of RNA in activating DNA was underestimated. Now, therapies are being developed based on RNA manipulation. Mipomersen, an RNA-based drug for treating high cholesterol, is set for approval in 2011, and dozens of clinical trials based on RNA treatments are scheduled.

Personalized Drugs

Researchers are coming to the conclusion that one-size-fits-all drugs might not be the best approach for treating disease. A number of drugs are effective in some people, but not in others. Cancers that attack the same part of the body can be quite different from each other. A hot biotech trend in 2011 will be the personalization of treatment. Researchers will seek biomarkers in individuals and diseases that can predict the effectiveness of particular treatments. Tailoring treatments to each individual and disease will cost less and be more effective than current treatment protocols. Nowadays people have an opportunity to buy cheap generic drugs on the web. Almost all of them are produced in India. But those drugs are completely safe and productive.

Agriculture

With potential food shortages looming, farmers are looking to biotechnology to provide solutions. Researchers will pursue promising developments in genetic engineering that will create crops that are more productive, disease resistant, drought tolerant, and salt water tolerant. The pork industry has already benefited from improvements in pig breeding. Look for gains to be made in other types of livestock as well.