Trends in Biotechnology at the Turn of the Millennium

BACKGROUND: The concept of biotechnology has gained wide popularity by the time. There is, of course, some anecdotal evidence as to what topics are currently considered the most prominent and how they can be compared to the common perception of which research topics were considered "trendy" years ago. OBJECTIVE: A thorough search of exact time frames can help us quantitatively determine the evolution of prominent biotechnology research topics since the turn of the century. METHODS: A text data mining approach has been followed to better identify the emerging trends and perspectives in biotechnology, taking a look back at how the focus of research and innovation in biotechnology has shifted, evolved and impacted the human race over the past three decades. RESULTS: The extent of biotechnology today is vast, however, the most important newly developed research themes and patents largely influence human healthcare, affecting hundreds of millions of people who use grafts, devices, diagnostics, treatment and delivery systems. Even if biotechnology is very much focused on healthcare, there is also focus on other specialized concepts, such as biofuel, biocatalyst, food, agriculture and water purification, which have a strong influence on the research topics studied today. CONCLUSION: We are in the process of developing the practice of medicine through pioneering advances in biotechnology research and innovation. As companies continue to develop emerging treatment strategies (involving gene therapy, stem cells, nanomedicine and new drug delivery systems) that address significant unmet needs, future innovations in biotechnology research will bring exciting new advancements to help millions of more people worldwide.