December 2009


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The biotechnology revolution provides the opportunity to develop our strengths, conquer our weaknesses and grasp numerous oppor tunities. Genetics Professor Pathmanathan Umaharan asks: Are we up to the challenge?

Biotechnology is the use of biological organisms or biomolecular processes towards developing products and processes of scientific and/or commercial value. Interpreted in this broad sense, the definition covers a range of different technologies such as genomics, proteomics, genetic and protein engineering, genetic modifications, DNA typing, cloning of plants and animals, biopesticides, biofertilizers as well as fermentation technologies.

Biotechnology is regarded as one of the dominant general purpose technologies of the 21st century, just like printing and the steam engine were considered the general purpose technologies of the 19th century and the computer technology the general purpose technology of the 20th century. Biotechnology therefore represents a revolution with unprecedented ramifications for mankind. Biotechnology is already influencing every sphere of human activity - agriculture, human and animal health, conservation and environmental remediation, industrial applications and forensics. It is envisaged that biotechnology will yield an endless parade of products that can enhance existing industries or spawn new ones.

Simply put, there are two aspects to the biotechnology revolution. The first is the use of biotechnological applications to achieve competitiveness of existing strategic industries in a sustainable manner. The second is the creation of new knowledge industries though innovation and knowledge manipulation, which has to go hand in hand with intellectual property protection and licensing systems. This will be the higher end of the biotechnology revolution and many countries are diverting their resources into genomics and proteomics.

In small countries such as ours where resources are scarce, developing existing resources into marketable knowledge products is important. Costa Rica, for instance, has linked its biodiversity conservation efforts with biotechnology strategy so that biotechnology can be used to exploit the benefits of biodiversity and create wealth for the country. The biotechnology policy of Kenya outlines bioresource development through indigenous bio-prospecting as an important strategy for development. Brazil has the strongest bio-resource development programme in the Latin America and Caribbean region, where the biological resources are being systematically screened for chemicals and genes. Genomics is also vigorously being pursued in strategically important areas. Many of these products are licensed to pharmaceutical, agricultural or other manufacturing companies for commercialization.

Trinidad and Tobago falls within an extremely biodiversity rich region. It is critical therefore that our resources are commercially exploited. Developing novel varieties using our biodiversity may provide an opportunity to supply planting material throughout the tropical region, similar to the efforts of Thailand and Taiwan in orchids. Due to the multiethnic origin of the population in Trinidad and Tobago, there is an immense wealth of indigenous knowledge of plants and their medicinal uses. Developing the capacity to isolate the chemicals and genes from indigenous organisms (plants, animals and microbes) as well as to scientifically screen derived products for various pharmaceutical activities utilizing our traditional knowledge is one way of capitalizing on our strengths. We can develop new products and processes that can be patented and marketed. Knowledge development in strategic areas can lead to providing services to the entire region. Furthermore, developing the capacity to identify tropical pathogens in plants and animals or the diversity among tropical species using biotechnological approaches can lead to a testing service for the tropical region.

In an increasingly globalised economy, competitiveness is vital. Furthermore, in small island states like ours, the ecosystems are extremely vulnerable and hence development goals should be pursued in a sustainable manner, without compromising the resources for future generations. Biotechnology enables possibilities to achieve competitiveness in a sustainable manner in any sphere of human endeavour. It is critical that we develop strategic areas for development and pursue them vigorously—be it in agriculture and horticulture or in the manufacturing sector.

Developing a biotechnology industry requires the involvement of the state, the private sector, universities and research institutions and financial systems. Trinidad and Tobago is one of the region’s forerunners in developing intellectual property legislation to facilitate innovation and creativity. Further, the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus and the University of Trinidad and Tobago have multidisciplinary research staff trained in a range of technologies. Yet, while these strengths exist, there is no science and technology policy that can provide focus and resources in strategic areas of research and development. Such a policy—through an appropriate resource provision mechanism—can bring the necessary players from the stakeholders together. A science and technology policy should be coupled with a biotechnology policy so that strategic development of industrial applications of biotechnology will be pursued through appropriate programmes and projects. At present the Caribbean is developing a biotechnology and biosafety policy and it is imperative that our local policy dovetails into the regional policy so that the region can function as a harmonised economic space. A Cabinet-appointed committee has also developed a draft biosafety policy, which is at present before the cabinet. A safe biotechnology environment is important to foster the growth of biotechnology and is a step in the right direction.

Present development models require that the private sector work alongside the University/research institutes in industrial parks so that there is a close direct link between research and development. Such ventures require venture capital sources. The right tax environment should be created for the private sector and venture capitalists to become partners in biotechnology efforts.

The single most important weakness for biotechnology is in the area of human capacity development. For biotechnology to flourish, a critical mass of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, capable of moving the country forward, should not only be trained, but also be provided space to work in a collaborative environment. The technological gap between the developed world and the developing world has been identified as the single most constraint to biotechnology development, and is continuing to widen, as new biotechniques are developed at an enormous rate.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), recognizing the weakness of developing countries in this area established two international centres for genetic engineering and biotechnology (ICGEB) with the objective of transferring technologies to member countries. Trinidad and Tobago being the only member country in the CARICOM, is well poised to benefit from these programmes. The UWI is organising the first capacity building workshop on ‘Bioinformatics” in collaboration with ICGEB in January, 2010. Many biodiversity-rich developing countries have established bilateral collaborative efforts with developed countries to allow access to biodiversity in exchange for technology. Building a biodiversity centre and documentation system is important to create interest and facilitate negotiation. This can lead to a number of collaborative development projects. Other countries, recognizing the weakness of systems locally, have established collaborative institutes in the US, where local researchers work with their counterparts in the US, towards developing local products and processes, which will benefit the local economy. These are some of the alternative routes pursued by developing countries and we should find the best strategic path for Trinidad and Tobago.

The University of the West Indies offers an undergraduate programme in biology with a specialization in biotechnology, and is also developing an MSc programme in Biotechnology and biosafety. The University of Trinidad and Tobago also has a BSc programme on Biotechnology. The University of the West Indies has embarked on two ambitious research programmes in collaboration with stakeholder institutions towards utilizing our anthurium and hot pepper genetic resources towards developing elite varieties, so that we can not only become major suppliers of the product but also propagules of these crops, throughout the entire tropical world.