1. Biotechnology in General Q-What is biotechnology?

A- Biotechnology employs molecular biology and genetics to create improved agricultural products, food, animal feed, industrial materials, and medicines. Biotechnology crops are improving harvests while conserving water, soil, and the quality of our environment. Now and even more so in the near future, biotechnology will provide consumers with foods improved in taste and nutritional quality. Industrial applications, using renewable resources such as corn, can be found in plastics and fibers; these bio-based materials reduce our environmental footprint. Millions of people worldwide have been healed or helped by drugs and vaccines developed using biotechnology. Q-How is biotechnology being used in agriculture and food production? A-Biotechnology, combined with advances in the understanding of molecular and cellular biology, is aiding agriculture and food production in many ways. A key benefit is that biotechnology tools reduce the amount of time required to deliver conventional product traits and improved foods to market. Biotechnology tools reduce years of crop field testing and trait selection to months of laboratory testing and selection. This significant reduction in time benefits both growers and consumers. A second key benefit is that biotechnology production traits are integrated into plants. This allows growers to reduce production costs and time, increase their efficiency; and control pests in an environmentally friendly way. For example, specific traits protect corn plants from damaging insects. This helps farmers increase per acre yields and reduces the need for chemical sprays. A third key benefit is that biotechnology provides plants that supply better nourishment for livestock and expanded nutritional choices for consumers. Q-Is biotechnology really a new technology? A-Biotechnology covers such diverse activities as the use of yeast in brewing or bread making, and the fermentation process to make yogurt from milk. For centuries, humans have been selecting, sowing, and harvesting the best seeds that then produce the food we eat. Today, new developments in biotechnology allow us to identify and transfer the specific gene that creates a desired trait in a plant and offer a more precise way to produce plants with certain beneficial characteristics, such as greater nutrition.

Q- What is Agricultural Biotechnology? A-Agricultural biotechnology is a range of tools, including traditional breeding techniques that alter living organisms, or parts of organisms, to make or modify products; improve plants or animals; or develop microorganisms for specific agricultural uses. Modern biotechnology today includes the tools of genetic engineering. Q-How is Agricultural Biotechnology being used? A-Biotechnology provides farmers with tools that can make production cheaper and more manageable. For example, some biotechnology crops can be engineered to tolerate specific herbicides, which make weed control simpler and more efficient. Other crops have been engineered to be resistant to specific plant diseases and insect pests, which can make pest control more reliable and effective, and/or can decrease the use of synthetic pesticides. These crop production options can help countries keep pace with demands for food while reducing production costs. A number of biotechnology-derived crops that have been deregulated by the USDA and reviewed for food safety by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been adopted by growers. Many other types of crops are now in the research and development stages. While it is not possible to know exactly which will come to fruition, certainly biotechnology will have highly varied uses for agriculture in the future. Advances in biotechnology may provide consumers with foods that are nutritionally-enriched or longer-lasting, or that contain lower levels of certain naturally occurring toxicants present in some food plants. Developers are using biotechnology to try to reduce saturated fats in cooking oils, reduce allergens in foods, and increase diseasefighting nutrients in foods. They are also researching ways to use genetically engineered crops in the production of new medicines, which may lead to a new plant-made pharmaceutical industry that could reduce the costs of production using a sustainable resource. Genetically engineered plants are also being developed for a purpose known as phytoremediation in which the plants detoxify pollutants in the soil or absorb and accumulate polluting substances out of the soil so that the plants may be harvested and disposed of safely. In either case the result is improved soil quality at a polluted site. Biotechnology may also be used to conserve natural resources, enable animals to more effectively use nutrients present in feed, decrease nutrient runoff into rivers and bays, and help meet the increasing world food and land demands. Researchers are at work to produce hardier crops that will flourish in even the harshest environments and that will require less fuel, labor, fertilizer, and water, helping to decrease the pressures on land and wildlife habitats. In addition to genetically engineered crops, biotechnology has helped make other improvements in agriculture not involving plants. Examples of such advances include making antibiotic production more efficient through microbial fermentation and producing new animal vaccines through genetic engineering for diseases such as foot and mouth disease and rabies.

Q-What are the benefits of Agricultural Biotechnology? A-The application of biotechnology in agriculture has resulted in benefits to farmers, producers, and consumers. Biotechnology has helped to make both insect pest control and weed management safer and easier while safeguarding crops against disease. For example, genetically engineered insect-resistant cotton has allowed for a significant reduction in the use of persistent, synthetic pesticides that may contaminate groundwater and the environment In terms of improved weed control, herbicide-tolerant soybeans, cotton, and corn enable the use of reduced-risk herbicides that break down more quickly in soil and are non-toxic to wildlife and humans. Herbicide-tolerant crops are particularly compatible with no-till or reduced tillage agriculture systems that help preserve topsoil from erosion. Agricultural biotechnology has been used to protect crops from devastating diseases. The papaya ringspot virus threatened to derail the Hawaiian papaya industry until papayas resistant to the disease were developed through genetic engineering. This saved the U.S. papaya industry. Research on potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and other crops continues in a similar manner to provide resistance to viral diseases that otherwise are very difficult to control. Biotech crops can make farming more profitable by increasing crop quality and may in some cases increase yields. The use of some of these crops can simplify work and improve safety for farmers. This allows farmers to spend less of their time managing their crops and more time on other profitable activities. Biotech crops may provide enhanced quality traits such as increased levels of beta-carotene in rice to aid in reducing vitamin A deficiencies and improved oil compositions in canola, soybean, and corn. Crops with the ability to grow in salty soils or better withstand drought conditions are also in the works. The tools of agricultural biotechnology have been invaluable for researchers in helping to understand the basic biology of living organisms. For example, scientists recently identified the complete genetic structure of several strains ofListeria and Campylobacter, the bacteria often responsible for major outbreaks of food-borne illness in people. This genetic information is providing a wealth of opportunities that help researchers improve the safety of our food supply. The tools of biotechnology have "unlocked doors" and are also helping in the development of improved animal and plant varieties, both those produced by conventional means as well as those produced through genetic engineering.

Q. What does the Biotechnology sector produce or what service does it provide?

A. Current applications of biotechnology are predominantly practiced in the fields of agriculture and medicine. Modern techniques allow for the production of new and improved foods. Virus resistant crop plants and animals have been developed and advances in insect resistance have been made. Biotechnology applications in the field of medicine have resulted in new antibiotics, vaccines for malaria, and improved ways of producing insulin. Diagnostic tests for serious genetic diseases such as hereditary cancers and Huntington's chorea have been developed as well as ways of detecting and treating AIDS. 2. Research Q- What are main research activities / fields in Melaka Biotech? A- We are doing research mainly in applied biotechnology such as phytochemistry, molecular biology, toxicology, aquaculture, plant tissue culture and microbiology. Q- How many Labs are Biotech Melaka have? A- Toxicology Lab Phytochemistry Lab Microbiology Lab Molecular Biology Lab Plant Tissue Culture Lab Aquaculture Lab

Q- What are services offered in Melaka Biotech A 1. DNA FINGERPRINTING SERVICES

Morphology & DNA Fingerprinting For Genotype Identification DNA Fingerprinting for QC of Raw Material New Plant DNA Profiling Phylogeny Analysis PCR Amplication DNA Extraction

2. TISSUE CULTURE SERVICES

Training or workshop on media preparation, surface decontamination, inoculation technique and data interpretations for laboratory assistant, research officers, science students and scientists in R&D biotechnology and biopharmaceutical. Building a protocol for tissue culture plant

3. TOXICOLOGY TESTING SERVICES

Bacterial Reverse Mutation test (2 or 5 strains) Cytotoxicity test (MTS Assay) In Vitro Mammalian Cell Micronucleus In Vitro Mammalian Cell Gene Mutation Alkaline Comet Assay

4. CHEMISTRY AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Proximate analysis (nutritional facts) Water Testing Chemical Compound (GCMS) Antioxidant Testing Total Pnenolic Content ICP-MS Analysis (Determination of Heavy Metal)

5. MICROBIOLOGICAL TESTING SERIVICES

Total plate count Total combined Yeast & Mould Count E.Coli Staphylococcus Aureus Salmonella sp. Shigella sp. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Lactobacillus sp. Count Antimicrobial Assay Product Shelf Life Study / Expiry Date Determination

Q- Who are the target group to attend workshop / send sample for testing A- People who are involved in herbal / health care / agriculture/ chemical / biotechnology industries, researcher, chemist, university student, secondary school Student,

3. Bussiness With Us Q-What type of investments has Biotech Melaka made in biotechnology? A-Melaka is a R&D biotechnology based corporation; research has always fueled our work. We see biotechnology as a very important tool that can improve quality of life in numerous ways. Many of our top scientists have been using biotechnology for several years to bring new products and services to market. We are the agency who creating Bio-techprenuer. Q-How can the public be sure that Melaka Biotech will practice biotechnology safely? A-Safety is our heritage and passion. We believe in rigorous internal testing and stringent governmental review.Melaka Biotech has a verifiable record of being one of the safest industrial companies in the world in terms of employee safety. Melaka Biotech has also made a public commitment to use biotechnology safely. We recognize that only through safe use can we realize its benefits. In addition, we have made a public commitment to engage and listen to interested parties, including our critics, concerning biotechnology. This is vital if we are to better understand their concerns and seek their advice on strategies and direction. With an ISO 9001:2008, OECD GLP status and Towards ISO 17025, we ensure you our safety level are at its best.

4. Career

Q. List the occupations available in the Biotechnology sector.

A. Most people probably think of the lab technician or research scientist when they think of biotechnology. There are many exciting opportunities for scientists and non-scientists in the biotechnology sector. Complementing the creative endeavors of researchers and engineers are the efforts to commercialize biotechnology products with the input of business management and marketing personnel. On the production side of things, quality assurance technicians, sales reps, and equipment maintenance people are required. New career opportunities in the area of bioinformatics, genetic engineering and plant tissue culture are on the increase. Q. What do the people working in different Biotechnology occupations do?

A. Research scientists don't just work in the lab all the time, much of their time may be devoted to writing papers, or grant proposals, attending seminars and conferences, and they may or may not be involved in teaching university students. Laboratory technicians and lab assistants spend most of their time in the lab, doing the day to day tasks of carrying out the research. They would be working with a variety of sophisticated equipment, preparing chemicals, and possibly maintaining experimental microbial, plant, or animal tissue cultures. They may be required to work with plants in a greenhouse or field setting, or to work with lab animals. Sales reps obviously try to sell their products. They may be selling the products of the biotechnology industry to farmer, doctors, or other industries, or selling scientific equipment and supplies to biotech researchers. Quality assurance technicians work in labs or other types of production facilities testing the products that are for sale to ensure that they are safe and that they meet the required standards. In the fields of bioinformatics or biostatistics the work would mostly be on the computer. However, an understanding of the science involved would also be required. You could be designing and maintaining data bases of scientific information, or analyzing the results of a series of plant growth trials. Q. What type of training do these Biotechnology occupations require and where can it be acquired? How long is the training process? A. Research scientists require at least B.Sc., M.Sc. or Ph.D. This requires at least 3 to 8 years of university training. Lab technicians typically require a B.Sc. or M.Sc. which requires 4 to 6 years of university training. A lab assistant may only require one to two years of training in a technical college. Quality Assurance Technicians or Scientific Sales Reps probably need a B.Sc. in a related field. Marketing and Human Resources people probably need a B.Comm., and management personnal would probably be best qualified with some scientific training and then a B.Comm. or M.B.A. (4 to 6 years university training). Someone working in the bioinformatics field will typically need a degree in computer science complimented with several courses in biology or biotechnology. However, you could get into this field after doing a science degree in a related field and then a one year post-graduate diploma in information systems. A Biostatistician would usually have at least a masters degree in statistics or biometrics.