The Biotech Harvest

Advances in genetics and other areas of biology are bringing an unprecedented wave of innovation. Here's a glimpse at what's already under development:

AGRICULTURE

-- Salmon and trout engineered to grow twice as fast as normal

-- Soybeans, cotton, corn, and other crops engineered to resist pests

-- Corn gene-altered for higher nutritional value

-- Cows, sheep, and goats that make drugs in their milk


MEDICINE

-- Bacteria genetically engineered to lap up underground spills of toxic chemicals

-- Genes that prod cancer cells to self-destruct

-- Cancer ''vaccines'' that boost the immune system's ability to find and attack tumors

-- Natural hormones that stimulate growth of new blood vessels, bypassing clogged ones

-- Growth factors via gene therapy or cell implants that may prevent nerve degeneration from brain disease or injury

INDUSTRY

-- Plants that produce biodegradable plastics

-- Computers that harness the information storage capacity of DNA

DATA: BUSINESS WEEK