Status and Scope of Biotechnology in Nepal

Introduction:-

Biotechnology is emerging in field of science, it must be the reason from our semester we get chance to read about it through genetics, Biotechnology in its simple terms is the technology that derives its product of biology. Biotechnology can be defined as broad experimental science in which biological components i.e. living systems, organisms, cells and cellular processes materialized with human knowledge and skills to develop new technologies.

Status:-

Biotechnology has been brought up in Nepal in 2003, it more than a decade from now, but true it has been beaconed in terms of academia from Kathmandu University from launching of undergraduate program, four year course. Since then multiple academic institutions has introduced Biotechnology in their academics in either undergraduate level or post graduate. The current academic institutions includes Tribhuwan University, Whitehouse Institute of Science & Technology, Lord Buddha Education Foundation, SAAN International College, Kantipur Valley College and recently in Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur. This was about academia but in practices in industries of Nepal, the status is not satisfactory but however there is mere hope of its emergent. Nepal has almost surpassed the theoretical knowledge about biotechnology but practically it is backward, we can rarely find in practical laboratories which are basic for biotechnology as it is experimental discipline. The reason behind it may be costs associated with running the infrastructure which is quite high, depending on the equipment used and their usage.

Similarly in pharmaceuticals industries of Nepal its status is low, the Research and Development wing of major pharmaceutical companies either have their own labs or outsource work to biotechnology companies or academia in most of developed countries but however, Deurali Janata Pharmaceuticals may be an exception in this case as this pharmaceutical has started its own R&D biotechnology division. There is also GM laboratory in Hariharbhawan, Kathmandu which work for Agricultural biotechnology. Different biotech unit can be seen in government liaison agency but their practice is poor.

Government entities like Nepal Academy of Science (NAST), Nepal Agriculture Research Unit (NARC), Central Veterinary Lab (CVL), Department of Plant Research (DPR) are involved in biotechnology research in the country, as Government of Nepal has allowed Biotechnology as an official subject for government job services by way initiating tests Biotechnology in the government services under public service commission.

National Herbarium and Plant Research Laboratory was the first biotechnological laboratory of Nepal for plant tissue culture established in 1976 which deals with clonal propagation of hardwood trees, medicinal plants, ornamental plants and many more. 

Research Laboratory for Agricultural Biotechnology and Biochemistry (RLABB) is another lab but established from the private sector in 1986. This lab has developed many biochemical techniques to create cold tolerant rice plant, and deals with micro propagation and anther culture. Anther culture of rice was developed for the first time in Nepal by RLABB. 

Micro plant Nepal, Nepal Biotech Nursery, Himalayan Floratech, Nepal Biotech Nursery, Himalayan Floratech, Botanical Enterprise, Potato Development Center, Plant Research Division, Green Research and Technologies, and Central Department of Botany, Kirtipur are also the tissue culture laboratories and organizations contributing biotechnological field. 

Nepal Biotechnological Association (NBA) and Nepal Molecular Biology Society (NEMBIS) are nongovernmental scientific organizations established to promote developmental and commercial applications of research findings in the field of biotechnology. 

Similarly, with establishment of Biotech Society of Nepal (BSN), we can see the mere hope of uplifting the status of biotechnology in Nepal as it has been active in uniting students, academia, government and industries and advocating biotechnology in Nepal to some extent, in addition ?Team up and talk about biotechnology, a youth forum? has also been effective to create awareness about its importance and scope.

Scope:-

Nepal is rich in natural resources many plants are unidentified, their uses are unidentified in such condition, the beam of biotechnology practice can ignite its importance through different biotech tools like recombinant DNA technology, cell and tissue culture, monoclonal antibody technology, biosensor, antisense, bio processing and protein engineering technology. Samples are still sent to India for checkup from hospitals of Nepal. Similarly, in industries it plays significant role through food innovation, fermentation technologies. For instance, old biotechnology is like alcohol fermentation that uses yeast to make a wine and beer, i.e. for beverages.
In Agriculture field, through the means of different biotechnology tools, the development of good quality crop, newer variety of crop yield, increase the variety of crop yield, we can identify the resistant gene and with manipulation of gene prepare the pesticide resistant gene and insert in plants, transgenic plant production, alternative of fertilizers, similarly in case of animals, through monoclonal antibody technology, disease of livestock can be prevented with production of antibodies and then vaccines, it helps the organisms to be more productive and improve their conditions. Mule, hinny are the products of species hybridization. Cloning provides the most direct demonstration that all cells of an individual share a common genetic blueprint. Similarly human insulin can be produced from bacteria through recombinant technologies. Similarly environment monitoring, pollution prevention can be done through bioremediations and biosensors. Microbial whole-cell biosensors can be excellent analytical tools for monitoring environmental pollutants. They are constructed by fusing reporter genes (e.g., lux, gfp or lacZ) to inducible regulatory genes. 

In medical sectors more than 65% of biotech companies of the world are involved in pharmaceuticals production through biotech tools it produces vaccine and in therapeutics as well as it efficient diagnostic tool so that samples can be checked in Nepal itself. It helps to diagnose the cancer, high cholesterol or cholera, it ensures safe blood supply such as HIV or mad cow disease and diagnoses the issues like Down?s syndrome or spinal bifida in mother?s womb, it greatly improves patient?s prognosis. Protein engineering is used often in conjunction with recombinant DNA technology to improve existing proteins, such as enzymes, cell receptor, antibodies. These proteins may be used in drug development, food processing, industrial development. DNA finger printing basics or forensics lab also uses biotech tools so for investigation of crime.

Conclusion:-

Biotechnology study reveals that it can be important tool for human to research and to open up with new approaches beneficial to mankind. The status of biotechnology in Nepal is slow but steady rise can be seen now more people are aware about biotechnology which can be known through youth meet, youth forum. Patent license approaches to government of Nepal shows peoples concern to biotechnology. People from every sector related to biotechnology should unite and bring about new agendas to create practical practices in Nepal.

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