Biotechnology for Global Health: Solutions for the Developing World

Abstract

Identifying and developing emerging biotechnologies is important in improving health in the poorest nations because current health products and practices are generally not suited for their developing economies, their inadequate transport and power infrastructures, their largely rural populace, and their rugged and often tropical environments. Advances in biotechnology will more likely be valued and adopted as innovations in developing countries if they are suited to these challenging conditions. These innovations in health will favor a shift away from a centralized, curative-based framework towards a decentralized, prevention-based paradigm. In this article, advances in microfluidics and in vaccine delivery and storage are highlighted within the context of disease diagnosis and prevention in the developing world.