Biotechnologies

03 Mar Innovation in the food industries: impacts of the digital revolution

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
March 2021
The authors: Alain Michel Boudet, Pierre Feillet The appropriation of digital technologies, artificial intelligence and data-driven learning for more effectively designing, manufacturing, controlling and distributing food that meets consumer demands and respects environmental constraints – for the food industries this is a necessity and a great ambition that the public authorities must actively support.  
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28 Oct Municipal Solid Waste: What to do with the biodegradables?

National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech)
2010
Based on the disciplines of biology, molecular biology, chemistry, biotechnology as well as information technology and engineering sciences, a new field of research is evolving, called synthetic biology. It has attracted special attention recently, also on an international basis. Synthetic biology can make an essential contribution to the gaining of knowledge in basic research. Beyond that, it opens up options for biotechnological applications in the medium term, i.e. in the area of new and improved diagnostic agents, vaccines and drugs as well as the development of new biosensors and biomaterials or even biofuels. Concurrently, the research area opens up new questions, e.g. about legal aspects in the context of biological safety or the protection from abuse; likewise, questions about the economic use and ethical aspects. Against this backdrop, the German Research Foundation (DFG), acatech, which is the German Academy for Science and Engineering, and the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina have pooled their strengths and crafted a joint statement on possible opportunities and risks of synthetic biology.
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18 Oct Hans Werthén – One of Sweden’s most prominent industrialists

Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering (IVA)
2015
A pamphlet produced by the Hans Werthén Fund at IVA, 2015, 16 pp.
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18 Oct Biotechnologies and Environnent (92 pages)

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2010
This study examines the impacts on the environment of implementing biotechnologies, viz; those technologies that rely on certain properties of micro-organisms, animal or vegetable cells, cell constituents, notably enzymes, in order to create new products, new production processes or new services. The terms “environmental impact” refer to any form of modification of the environment, be it positive or negative, as a result of applying, partly or extensively, given technologies. The report covers biotechnological applications in the following fields: chemical industries, environment, agriculture, health and analytical processes (bio-sensors).
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18 Oct Municipal Solid Waste: What to do with the biodegradables?

Belgium Academies (ARB)
2010
Geen abstract, enkel deze draak van een samenvatting: The paper deals with the biodegradable part of waste generated by citizens in urban environments. This is essentially household waste and gardening waste. Assimilated to this category of waste is almost all that comes from restaurants, canteens and food shops inasmuch as its composition is similar to that of house hold waste. In the European Union, people generate currently 523 kg per inhabitant and per year of municipal solid waste (MSW). Hazards and nuisances associated with dumping are deemed unacceptable. Very specific and mandatory regulations make landfilling very difficult to manage. The trend is, accordingly, to reduce as far as possible the residual amount of waste to dump. Today, in most developed countries, local programs aim to separate household hazardous wastes (chemical cleaners, pesticides, paints, batteries, oils, etc…) and to recover certain materials (metals, paper, cardboard, plastics, glass, textiles, etc…) at the source. There remains however currently 204 kg/inhabitant. year of biodegradable waste in MSW, and it is responsible for most of the waste’s related disturbances in urban environments. For the European Union with its 500 million inhabitants, this makes 102 million Mg (1Mg = 1 metric tonne) of biodegradable MSW, i.e. approximately 20% of all biodegradable waste generated by economic activities each year in the EU. This justifies fully the present report.
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18 Oct Biotechnological Energy Conversion – Present Situation, Opportunities and the Research Required in the Future

National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech)
2009
What will come after fossil fuels? Against the backdrop of the current discourse on the expanded use of biomass for energy generation, acatech, the German Academy of Science and Engineering, examines the numerous questions entailed therein with regard to feasibility and cost calculation. With the possible contribution of biotechnology in mind, a workshop was founded in the fall of 2008 focusing on the following questions: What are the problems at present? What future developments can be discerned? What are the areas requiring further research? The workshop lectures and selected contributions to the discussion are documented in written form here. The discussion focuses on bio-ethanol and biogas as energy sources, algae and plants as renewable energy sources.
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18 Oct Predictive Genetic Diagnostics as an Instrument for the Prevention of Illnesses

National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech)
2010
The early diagnosis of treatable illnesses plays an ever greater role in modern medicine. Predictive genetic diagnostics in conjunction with rapidly developing analytical methods and the sequencing of entire genomes presents uncharted territory in this respect. A key task of the National Academy of Sciences is to take up such topics and problems in particular, which constitute uncharted territory for society, and present scientific recommendations for responding to them. With the statement on hand, the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, acatech, which is the German Academy of Engineering Sciences, and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (representing the Association of German Academies of Sciences) take up a topic of both extraordinary social relevance and one that is under controversial public discussion. The statement comprehensively illuminates the broad topic of predictive genetic diagnostics from various sides. Against the backdrop of the current state of knowledge, the chances and limits of predictive genetic diagnostics are examined as well as its medical, ethical, economic and legal dimensions explored.
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18 Oct Pre-Implantation Diagnostics (PID) – the Impact of a Limited Approval in Germany

National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech)
2011
Pre-implantation diagnostics (PID) is a diagnosis procedure that makes it possible for parents, who have a high risk of giving birth to a child with a serious hereditary disease, to give birth to a child who is not affected by the respective disease. In Germany, PID was considered to be prohibited pursuant to the Embryo Protection Law of 1990. The German Federal Supreme Court has argued in a ruling of July 6, 2010, that a prohibition of PID cannot be inferred with the requisite certainty from the Embryo Protection Law. Hence the lawmaker is called upon to take a clear-cut stand as to the question of the permissibility of PID. With the publication on hand, Leopoldina, which is the National Academy of Sciences, acatech, which is the German Academy of Science and Engineering, and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (representative for the Association of German Academies of Sciences) take on this current question and take an ad-hoc stand as to the question of pre-implantation diagnostics.
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18 Oct Biotechnologies, tomorrow

National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2010
It is generally recognized that biotechnologies will be one of the major basis for the 21st century sustainable development. This report proposes six priorities in France integrating industrial and agricultural activities. 1. Application of biotechnologies should extend beyond traditional medication and health issues. 2. France should drive to become a champion of ecological intensive agriculture. 3. Chemistry and energy: meet the challenge of an increased use of biomass. 4. Drugs, medication and health: support biotechnology industry and emerging and innovative entrepreneurship. 5. Microbiology: encourage French research in meta-genomics, a new branch of genomics applied to complex microbial systems. 6. Restructure dispersed today research system for a better international visibility and competitivity.
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18 Oct Synthetic Biology: scope, applications and implications

Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) (RAEng)
2009
This report aims to define the term ‘synthetic biology’, review the state of the field and consider potential future developments and their likely technological, economic and societal impact. It also attempts to assess the requirements for the development of the field and to identify key policy issues.  The report makes the following three recommendations:  1. The Government needs to develop a national strategy for synthetic biology in the UK.  2. Investment in training and research infrastructure is required.  This should focus on funding new centres for synthetic biology which would carry out both teaching and research. 3. Synthetic biology research needs to be conducted in collaboration with social scientists and philosophers in order to raise awareness of the ethical and societal issues.
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