Essay on Successes and Failures in Biotechnology Innovation

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| Monsanto continues to grow with future acquisitions of other companies in the industry (i.e. Asgrow Agronomics, Holden’s Foundation Seeds, Corn States Hybrid Service, and DeKalb Genetics Corp.).- Monsanto expands its production of genetically modified seed products which are herbicide tolerant. These include, “Roundup Ready Canola,” “Roundup Ready Cotton,” and “Roundup Ready Corn.”- Monsanto is also the first company to introduce a dual genetically engineered seed with protection from both insects and herbicides (cotton and corn seeds).

Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMO’s, are organisms that have had genes from a different organism implanted into their own genetic code in order to produce a new result (“Genetically engineered foods”). This practice has elicited polar responses across the globe, for a multitude of reasons. Besides the obvious reason, being the morality of changing an organism's DNA for human benefit, one frequently noted problem is the monopolization of GMO’s by the company Monsanto, whose name is nearly synonymous with GMO’s due to their involvement with these crops. Monsanto has been at the center of many controversies regarding GMO’s, and is even considered to be ranked third to last for reputation among all major American companies (Bennett). Most

Since the appearance of humans on Earth seven million years ago, humanity has always utilized newly discovered technology to improve life. From primitive stone tools to the invention of the light bulb, to the creation of self-handling vehicles, humanity constantly works to enhance their existence. The invention of the first genetically modified organism came in 1973, and has been utilized ever since to advance everything from food to medicine. A genetically modified organism, also known as a GMO, is an organism whose DNA is combined with different DNA to give the organism desirable qualities. Human consumption of GMOs has been debated for many years due to the potential health risks. However, food companies and corporate giants such as

(1.) Xu, W., Li, M., Ding, J., Gu, J., & Luo, Z. (2014). Bacteria dominate the ammonia-oxidizing community in a hydrothermal vent site at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge of the South Atlantic Ocean. Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology, 98(18), 7993. doi:10.1007/s00253-014-5833-1

Controversy. Often heard on the news and found plastering the headlines of shady websites. However, there is none more associated with the word than the practice of genetically modifying organisms. Ever since the Industrial Revolution,the shift from manual labor to steam power, technology has developed at an accelerated pace, paving the way for greater innovation. Recently, the emergence of Biotechnology from the study of DNA has allowed for the creation of GMOs, organisms whose genes has been edited in order to express a certain trait. GMOs are most commonly used in agriculture, often designed for herbicide resistance or pesticide creation. Due to Media overreaction and false studies, the public has been whipped into a frenzy, demanding scientists

We then discover that it has been legal to patent life since the 1980s, and learn about the company Monsanto’s round up resistant soybean that now makes up 90% of the soybean market. Monsanto

“Monsanto Company started off its chemical business in 1997, Monsanto traces its roots to John Francisco Queeny, a purchaser for a wholesale drug house, who formed the Monsanto Chemical Works in St. Louis, Missouri”(Barboza). In the mid-1990s, it became the first to widely market genetically engineered

Located in South San Francisco, CA, Genentech was started in 1976 by a biochemist Dr. Herbert Boyer and Robert A. Swanson. From 1995-2009 Arthur Levinson had become the CEO of Genentech; presently it is Ian T. Clark. Genentech is a leading biotechnology company, using human genetic information to discover, develop, manufacture and commercialize medicines to treat people with serious or life-threatening medical conditions (2014). Biotechnology is the technology based on the science of cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve peoples’ lives and the health of our environment. How biotechnology uses cellular and biomolecular processes are by using molecular mechanisms by which genetic and

Additionally, big business controls the farmers by capitalizing on widely used commodities. For example, the company Monsanto which is based in St. Louis, Missouri protects its dominance over the genetically modified crops such as the soy bean with the use of a patent law. Because of this, Monsanto’s patented genes “account for 95 percent of all soy beans and 80 percent of all corn grown in the U.S.,” (Associated Press). Although genetically modifying the soy bean crop has made it more readily available and more sustainable, this comes at a high price to farmers. Monsanto continues to raise their prices, which forces farmers to accrue even more debt, and there is no sign of the rise in the seed prices stopping. Since a lot of the farmers are under contract with Monsanto, there is nothing they can do about this unethical policy in fear of losing their job.

The book From Alchemy to IPO: the business of Biotechnology (2001) was a wonderful read. Although a little outdated (before the 2008 financial crisis), Cynthia Robbins-Roth was able to capture the thrill of starting the first biotech companies, the struggle to keep the companies afloat during down markets, as well as the elation of success when a company succeeds where others failed. I was astounded that any new company could survive the decade long march to putting their first product on the market, but Robbins-Roth provided direct quotations from the major investors that stuck with the market when most other investors had pulled out. These quotes, by the end of the book, gave me a much better understanding not only of the biotech industry but also the mentality of the major investors in the field. Although the sector is teeming with risky investments, if you educate yourself about the companies and understand the science involved, and be ready for the long-haul it is possible to lower your risk to reasonable levels.

Monsanto’s introduction of GM foods in Europe faced serious challenges. As a fundamentally new type of food product, GM’s had no historical experience that people could rely on. Many at Monsanto just

Monsanto is a company that some people may not be explicitly familiar with on a first name basis. However, the work that the company has done over the last century, with a larger emphasis on its most recent ventures, have been deeply engrained in our lives, our food, and our economy. Monsanto has those who advocate on their behalf in addition to their naysayers. While Monsanto has made huge strides in terms of biotechnology over the last couple of decades, their accomplishments, and the relevant methods, have not been free of criticism and controversy. In order to analyze Monsanto’s corporate environment, it is important to first explore their Strengths, Weaknesses,

Since 2.3 billion people will be added to the world from 2009 to 2050, biotechnology- Genetically Modified Organism- is a must to combat the global food crisis(Weisser para. 2). When the United States developed Bt corn, “[they] have been genetically engineered to resist herbicides and pests and even withstand drought.”(para. 16). Unlike corn that have never been modified, the Bt corn were able to survive better because of their resistant to herbicides, pests, and drought; resulting, a corn that can survive in harsh environment. By creating a modified corn that can survive in harsh environment, a large supply of corn- food- can be produced. If biotechnology can genetically modified corn to survive in harsh condition, more food can be produced; resulting 2.3 billion people can be fed; therefore, addressing the global food crisis. To put it briefly, limiting biotechnology would prevent addressing the global food crisis. Not only can genetic engineering address the global food crisis, but it can also improve medicine

One industry that plays a vital role in our society is the agricultural industry. The agricultural industry is responsible for the growth of all our valuable crops such as cotton, corn, fruits, other vegetables etc. These crops are planted and then gathered to be sold to consumers. These primary resources are important to our daily lives because they are valuable sources of food and clothing, which are highly needed for our survival in life. Over time, it has been discovered that genetic engineering in plants can be an alternative way to “alter a plant’s genetic makeup” (Nutrition & Weight Control for Longevity, 2005). Why would we want to alter a plant’s genetic makeup? Well, the main reason is to “produce a desired characteristic or weed out an undesirable one” of a plant (Nutrition & Weight Control for Longevity, 2005). Approximately “75% of processed foods contain at least some genetically engineered ingredients” (Nutrition & Weight Control for Longevity, 2005). In the United States, soy beans, cotton and corn are among the many crops that are genetically modified to “resist common herbicides” (Nutrition &