In a simple way, biology means the study of life. From the beginning of life and how it is evolved into different organisms, all include into one subject i.e. biology. There are vast ranges of educational scope to achieve a career from biology. Biotechnology is one of them. When technology is combined with biology creates a new class of biology.
Before you go into the depth of biotechnology you need to know the basics of biology.
What do you study in biology?
If you are really curious to know what the topics are that you study in biology the list is huge. Everything that is related to life formation, construction or evolution is trust into biology. But in one life span, one can’t accomplish the entire biology. To ease the subject biology is subdivided into various branches. In the following there are some important subdivisions of biology are discussed.
- Botany:
This branch includes the study about plant i.e. anything related to plant is a part of botany. Whether it is about plants’ types or the distribution, everything is in this branch. If you want to know about the plant then botany is the way.
- Zoology:
Like botany, zoology is all about animals. Every animal, their habitat, distribution, food habit, survival nature are the main part of zoology. Apart from that the characteristic of different animals and their nature is also part of the study of zoology.
- Microbiology:
Life started with microscopic organisms. Those mini creatures are in this world from the beginning and still, they are surviving in this nature. Microbiology is a branch of biology where study includes the classification, nature, habitat, etc of different kinds of micro-organisms. This arena also consists of the use of microbial organisms for the betterment of humanity.
- Agriculture:
This approach to science includes modern techniques involves in the cultivation process. There are many new processes of cultivation that bring out the high yield, good quality, etc. of crop production. Agricultural biology entirely depends on the improvement of crops and their cultivation procedure.
- Taxonomy:
When in the branch of biology nomenclature, grouping, classification is done for an organism is known as taxonomy. Basically, taxonomy deals with organism ramifications. Putting an organism in its perfect kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species is required. This taxonomical classification helps scientists to identify the organism’s characters by its name only.
- Morphology:
In the branch of biology all the external structures of organisms are being studied. This includes shape, size, height, and all the factors that explain the structure of an organism.
- Anatomy:
In this sectional division of biology the entire internal structure of the body is studied. After the dissection of any organism, the inner construction of internal organs and their formation are discussed here.
- Histology:
Our whole body is formed with multiple sets of tissues. The organization of tissues in any organism is discussed in histology. In short learning of tissue structure through in any organism is histology.
- Cytology:
The basic unit of life is cell. The formation, organization, functions, organelles and the properties of all organelles are the main topics of discussion.
- Physiology:
Each body organ involves various functions and helps to in the proper functioning of the body. Physiology is the study of body parts and their work. Various aspects of the organs are involved in functioning.
- Cell Biology:
All biological organisms made up of small units called cells. The first living thing that came on earth was a prokaryotic cell. But evolution took place and through the process of the prokaryotes become eukaryotes. Then after small micro-organisms appears on earth.
Originally, cell biology deals with the internal structure of the cell and each cell organelles. It also deals with the morphological structure and biological functions of organelles. But cell biology also discusses the cells’ development via genetically.
- Molecular biology:
Every cell is made up of various molecular components. The study of the molecular constituent of cells and all living organisms includes in this section. Bio-molecular interactions between the elements are also an important part of molecular biology. In this branch, the study relates to the molecular level of organisms and their details molecular analysis.
- Ecology:
The communication between all living and non-living in the world of bio-sphere is considered as a study of ecology. In the ecosystem, living depends on each other and also depends on the non-living environment. In the aspect of ecology, the flora and fauna should be imbalanced. The process of how the ecological balance can be maintained in the main context of ecology.
- Genetics:
The unit of heredity of any living beings is a gene that is transferred from one generation to another. The expression of the transformation of each gene to the offspring of any living beings is known as the study of heredity. Variation and characteristics of genes segregate every living being. The study of all possible reasons behind the gene formation, variation, inheritance, heredity, etc. is known as the study of genetics.
- Eugene:
In this branch of bioscience mainly the factors of the development of animal race are discussed and researched. It is also an analysis the possible outcomes of the research in the future.
- Evolution:
From ape to the man how animal evolved always been a curious part of scientific research. For this reason, the approaches had been taken place to know the changes and the adaptation of genes. Evolution means how life has been modified from the beginning of the modern world. The study includes the genetics evolution of living.
- Exobiology:
Have you ever thought of living in the different celestial bodies apart from earth? Exobiology is the study of scientific research of finding life or the possibility of life in other planets or in the space station.
Advance biological branches with modern spectacles of the existing world.
The above branches basically deal with the biological components and their functions, characteristics, habitat. The following branches of biology are basically mixed with different subjects or terminology. The most important and the highly popular branches are biometrics, biochemistry, biotechnology.
- Biometrics: in a field of biology, many kinds of research had been done and some of them are still going on and will be more. Every biological experiment needs a proper statistical analysis of every possible outcome of the experiment so that, the experiment should not bring anyhow to effect. The combination of statistics and biology, a modern branch of study will open different career prospects.
- Biochemistry: When chemistry combines with biology, which brings out a new branch of science. Basically, whatever chemical activities occur in a living being is the base of the study of biochemistry. Every reaction at a cellular level like Glycolysis, photosynthesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, etc. is the study of biochemistry.
- Biotechnology: in the modern world, everything is combined with technology. Biology is not out of the list. When biological organisms used to improved human life via producing the new drugs, vaccines and hormones are known as biotechnology.
The new approaches and researches are conducted by biotechnology to find out the vaccine or drug for un-curable diseases. There are also other courses of biotechnology where gene cloning, animal cloning, improved seed production, etc. involved. Biotechnology also includes a different kind of techniques like DNA fingerprinting, electrophoresis, Elisa, centrifugation, DNA sequencing, gel electrophoresis, etc.
Bioinformatics: Information about the biological genome and tracking their record into the computer system is the study of bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is an interesting subject and a combination of biology, computer science, and information technology. So in the field of bioinformatics, all the genome coding and records are kept and studied.
Career promises for biology students:
Now you have come to an idea that how vast the biology is. As the branches are divided into about 150 parts, the opportunity is also widely distributed in various fields. As a biologist, they have the most interesting and vast career prospects. For example,
The most common job opportunities are professor, lecturer, and scientist. Higher study in any field of biology is the minimum qualification required for the posts. You can also choose your career in the field of health sectors like doctors, health advisors, and pharmacology. Another way to get a job in biology is to qualify in practicing different biological techniques. Any medicine production company will like to have a person who is an expert in the laboratory.
Apart from the above opportunities, one can clearly make a career in scientific writing. You can also help students from or the research scholar to write their assignment, thesis and get paid. From the aspect of biology, career opportunity is huge. You just need to recognize your field of interest and expertise to find the right one for you.
Food processing, agricultural, packaging industries also have a wide range of job opportunities for a biologist in various fields. Developing new food products, low-calorie food, and their perfect packaging for long lasting is one of their concerns. Testing of food, analyzing, checking the effect on humans, etc includes in their work. So, there is a good scope in these industries to achieve your goal.
How biology helps in the outgrowth of the new world and creates a better ambiance to live for all living beings?
As biology is a core subject that is tangled with every living creature on earth, it needs better focus. Each existing, endangered, extinct species are affecting the world where we live. As the interconnection of biology to the living, there are many ways to improve the world for spirited beings.
The influence of biology in the health sector:
The first thing that you notice in the health sector is doctors and medicine. Both of them are involved in the initial study of biology. The elementary level of study of biology gives access to the field to study anatomy, pharmacology, medicine and medical science.
As the world is transforming so the micro-organisms are also. The effects of them on living are becoming serious and sometimes lethal. So the treatment has changed. New researches have been taken place to identify the cure of unrecognizable diseases. So, microbiologists, biotechnologists, biochemists, pharmacologist, and many scientists are dedicated to their lives to find a cure for many harmful diseases. For their continuous effort, many untreatable diseased are now completely curable.
New drugs, techniques of treatment, vaccine, and hormones have been discovered in the past few decades. For this reason, the death rate of the world index has decreased.
The influence of biology in global warming and pollution control:
In the past few years, the world has entered a dangerous situation where a few more years of negligence could lead to the world’s end. But for the concern environment specialists, the situation is in control now.
To reduce pollution the alternative energy production has developed like biogas, CNG, etc. which causes less pollution or no pollution. Instead of using chemical fertilizer and pesticides alternative approaches have taken like bio-fertilizer, bio-control of pests’, etc. Engagement of biologist in the field of pollution control has become a blessing for the earth. By monitoring the pollution global warming is in control now.
Though the risk has not omitted yet in the future, the positive possibilities of seeing the fresh world are there.
The influence of biology in the field of agriculture:
Since when the biotechnologist has come in the field of agricultural, the yield and quality of crops get a boost. Biotechnologists mainly work in the field of gene cloning and improve the trait of any breed. As a result, new varieties of crops have been produced. These new traits work on the basis of the human’s requirement.
Apart from the development of new traits the pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc have produced to reduce pollution. Those are less pernicious to the crop and the food which also reduces the dominance of human health.
Author’s Bio:
Mary Clooney, a Ph.D. degree holder in biology is a great academic advisor for your university problems. She got her degree from Princeton University, the USA’s one of the best universities. Not only biology, her research includes physics and chemistry too. With her excellent writing skills and both academic and practical knowledge in the field of bioscience, she is perfect guidance for you.