What is Biotechnology Manufacturing?
Biomanufacturing, or biotechnology manufacturing, refers to the use of biological processes, and therefore living organisms, to create products.
Biotech manufacturing is extremely popular, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries. It also has its own benefits, as it uses fewer resources and less power than artificial forms of manufacturing. It's an environmentally friendly process, too, as it reduces the use of fossil fuels and reuses waste.
The Biotech Manufacturing Process
The biotechnology manufacturing process refers to everything between the generation and storage of the finished product, whatever this may be. Examples of the biotech manufacturing process includes:
- Mixing
- Granulating
- Milling
- Molding
- Formulating
- Tableting
- Encapsulating
- Coating
- Sterilizing
- Filling
As you can see, there's a lot that goes into the biotech manufacturing process! From weighing to storage, every part of the process is essential in creating a safe and effective product for distribution.
Examples of Biotech Manufacturing
There are loads of biologically manufactured products available in the pharmaceuticals market.
Product examples of biotechnology manufacturing include: enzymes, biofuels, solvents, vitamins, supplements, amino acids, vaccines and antibodies.
An interesting example of biotech manufacturing in action is Enogen® corn. This corn has a thermostable alpha amylase, which is produced by the plant as it grows, but it is only triggered during high temperatures of liquefaction.
By having this enzyme produced within the corn, this reduces cost and improves the sugar yield of the corn, while decreasing water and energy usage throughout the process.
Biotech Manufacturing Job Description
A biotech manufacturer will spend their days manipulating living organisms, or their individual components, to enhance and design vaccines. They also use their work findings to improve energy efficiency or food productivity and safety.
Biotechnology Manufacturing Salary
The salary for a job in biotech manufacturing in the UK stands at an average of £42,175 per year. Depending on experience, this could rise to as much as £93,000 per year for a senior role.