Affiliations: Human Effectiveness Directorate, Air Force Research
Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, USA | Geo-Centers, Inc., Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,
Ohio, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: John M. Frazier, Ph.D., Air Force Research
Laboratory, AFRL/HEST, 2856 G Street, Bldg 79, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
45433-7400, USA. Tel.: +1 937 255 5150, ext. 3191; Fax: +1 937 255 1474;
E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Biotechnology is a diverse enterprise that captured the imagination
of the general public in the last quarter of the 20th century. The
announcement of the rough draft of the human genome at the beginning of the
21st century may prove to be one of the greatest steps in the development of
mankind. For this potential to be fully realized, many technical
barriers must be overcome. This perspective identifies and briefly
discusses the major scientific areas that contributed to the foundations of
biotechnology. This is not a complete historical account of the
scientific advancements that were hallmarks of progress in the
field. But, key contributions are noted to give the reader some
feeling for the rapidity with which biotechnology is evolving. Now
is an exciting time to be involved in biological
research. Hopefully, this perspective will convey some of that
excitement felt by the scientific community over the future of
biotechnology.
