What They Do:
The basic consumer applications of biotechnology are pharmaceuticals and chemical and material sciences.  Pharmaceutical research and development results in the discovery of new drugs, antibiotics and vaccines to treat or prevent health problems, while chemical and materials science research and development focuses on creating new molecules and materials with properties useful to humans. Biotechnology impacts these industries by allowing better models of biochemical processes and more efficient testing of products.8

Areas of Specialization:
Areas of specialization in biotechnology include research and development, production, quality control/assurance, and administration.