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Developments of human/veterinary diagnostic, therapeutic systems

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The main driving force for biotechnology development is the promise for medicine. The key to industry growth remains in human therapeutics although diagnostics have recently gained in importance. Human therapeutics and diagnostics are the larges segments in the biotech industry.

Biomedical research aims to further the understanding of disease, and to find new diagnostic and treatment strategies including drug discovery. With the completion of the Human Genome Project, it is now easier to identify genes that control diseases.

The uses of human genomic information are numerous, including so-called genetic testing - for diagnostic purposes in newborn babies and individuals suspected of carrying defective genes. It can also be used in gene therapy or as a research tool in other research areas.

Emerging technologies enable researchers to identify and analyze genes and proteins with phenomenal speed-thereby pinpointing the exact nature of different diseases and predicting individuals' responses to drugs.

Even using conventional DNA and protein analysis technologies, researchers have already taken some first steps toward personalized medicine. Over the past decade, advances in technology have notably increased achievements in new and precise medical measurements and treatment, and in the understanding of biological processes. Modern biotechnology, with its focus on molecular biology and its concern for increasing human health and life spans, is all about the future.