Tag: biotechnology and its applications

The commercial exploitation or monopolization of biological or genetic material, as medicinal plant extracts, usually without compensating the indigenous peoples or countries from which the material or relevant knowledge is obtained is called as biopiracy. In 1995, the United States awarded patent on turmeric to University of Mississippi medical center for wound healing property. The claimed subject matter was the use of "turmeric powder and its administration", both oral as well as topical, for wound healing. An exclusive right has been granted to sell and distribute. The Indian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) had objected to the patent granted and provided documented evidences of the prior art to USPTO. Though it was a well known fact that the use of turmeric was known in every household since ages in India, it was a herculean task to find published information on the use of turmeric powder through oral as well as topical route for wound healing. Due to extensive researches, 32 references were located in different languages namely Sanskrit, Urdu and Hindi. 

Genetic resources are the genes found in plants and animals that are of actual or potential value to people. Through the use of new biotechnologies, genes from any organism can be transferred to another. Plant and animal breeders, for example, use genes found in wild species, and genetically engineered organisms are now being used for new industrial applications such as mining, wastewater treatment, etc. Thus option B is the correct answer. 

The neem campaign was initiated in $1998$. Neem Foundation is an Indian voluntary independent, non-profit organization established in $1993$. It is supported by leading scientists and environmentalists to engage in Neem related research. The Neem foundation is an important international forum for individuals and institutions and for the Neem movements of all countries. The Neem foundation also managing the national campaign to declare NEEM as the national Heritage tree of India.

Navdanya initiates the campaign against basmati rice. Thus option C is the correct answer.

Genetic resources are the genes found in plants and animals that are actual or potential value to people. Thus a plant containing variation in the genetic composition is an example of genetic resources. Hence option C is the correct answer.

There are different types of transplantations in which the donor from which the stem cells are received differs. In the case of the autologous stem cell transplantation, the stem cells are obtained from the same individual. The peripheral blood or the bone marrow stem cells can be used for the purpose of transplantation. There are no chances of rejection due to graft versus host reaction. 

Stem cells are found in all organisms and are capable of dividing to form new cells which can be differentiated into various types of specialised cells. The umbilical cord is the structure which attaches the fetus with the placenta in the maternal womb. The umbilical cord contains the embryonic stem cells which can use for the treatment of disorders during the life of an individual. The umbilical cord can be preserved during the child birth.