The application of biotechnology in gene therapy could become effective if current efforts to develop "more specific markers to identify the interplay of genes in human body are successful." Gene therapy has only been partially successful in dealing with rheumatoid arthritis and cystic tumours as the role of gene and its movement after its introduction into the human body is yet to be studied further, according to Prof. Krishna R Dronamraju, president of the Foundation for Genetic Research, US.

Delivering a special lecture on " Current issues in biotechnology applications at the Andhra University in Visakhapatnam, Prof. Dronamraju, who is also the chairman of the Indo-US Millennium Foundation, striving for sharing of genetic engineering technology with the US and Europe, said the future of biotechnology as a follow up to DNA sequencing was extraordinarily promising in developing new drugs, besides evaluating pathogens of infectious diseases.

With the focus on developing DNA chips for rapid sequencing of the genome and cloning of the first goat Dolly, the interest of multinationals had also grown rapidly in the area of pharmaceuticals, human genetics and agriculture, he said.

Prof. Dronamraju called upon business houses and non-profit organizations in India to invest more in the field to encourage advanced research in biotechnology.