PROFESSIONAL BIOLOGISTS IN EUROPE
Position and Perspectives in Employment
Report of the Workshop «Biologists in New Fields»
organised by the European Communities Biologists Association
at Kollekolle, Denmark, December 13 – 17, 1984.
II. PERSPECTIVES I: ADVANCES IN BIOLOGICAL KNOW
HOW
1.Introduction
Biology, as an academic discipline, has traditionally been primarily a basic science
which investigated the variety of forms of living organisms in universities and
research institutions, in departments of microbiology, botany, zoology and human
biology (anthropology).
These classical pillars within biology have broadened notably in the last twenty or
thirty years. The introduction of advanced laboratory equipment and of elaborate
techniques in cooperation with physicists, chemists and engineers has led to a
dynamic development of research in all levels of complexity: subcellular, cellular,
organ, populations and ecosystems within each discipline. This diversification of
traditional biological disciplines into multiple sub-disciplines («bio-sciences») has
not taken place solely as remote and esoteric research. Increases in funding for
technological advancements have led to extensions of research activity into different
applied fields of biology, such as agriculture, nutrition, pharmacy, and medicine.
A more recent development in biological knowledge and biological methodology has
been a new view on bio-systems conceived through the use of bio-systems for
practical purposes and commercial use: the process of diversification of biological
research into very specialized fields of different complexity in the analysis of
biological systems, has concurrently led to a process of unification between
disciplines hitherto recognized as being distinctly disparate. The discipline
responsible for this unification is cell biology. Cell biology together with the advances
of molecular genetics now offers an exceedingly powerful analytical tool which
revolutionizes the attitude towards and the use of biological resources. All three
developments, the diversification into specialized fields, the orientation towards
applied fields, and the unification of thinking and handling of the biosphere in terms
of cell biology, will impinge strongly upon the professional contributions biologists
can make to the every day life of mankind.
2.Diversification of fundamental biosciencc
Within the classical four pillars of biology, botany, zoology, microbiology and
human biology, an expanded area of research has been introduced by the use of new
methodological approaches towards different levels of complexity of particular
biological systems. This has created a variety of singular, defined and specialized
fields of research. Table 1 summarizes these different biosciences which evolved
within the classical disciplines.
Some biological disciplines such as genetics span all levels of complexity. Within all
hese levels dynamic research fields for biologists have developed which are regarded
as autonomous: biophysics, biochemistry, metabolism, cytology, histology,
neurophysiology, genetics etc.. etc. These have all developed from classical biology and
the diversification process is still going on. More than SOsubdisciplincs could easily be
named which have reached an acknowledged status within the scientific community, in
research institutions, industrial laboratories and universities. Many biologists have been
quick to respond to new developments by their use of instrumentation, modern
mathematical, physical, chemical or other techniques. However, some have not wanted
to adopt these techniques and have continued to pursue traditional research. The
optimum blend of both pathways is desirable for the advancement of biological
knowledge.
Old areas of research once thought to be finalized (or «wrapped up») have re-opened
for investigation through the availability of new technology from other disciplines.
Previous crude enzyme studies now involve the use of chemical and biochemical
techniques, e.g. electrophoresis, iso-electric focusing, animo-acid analysis, radioactive
or fluorescent labelling, etc.
The application of these techniques to biological research has led and will lead further
to the impingement of previously isolated biosciences on each other and also on other
fundamental and applied sciences: old biological disciplines and, by diversification,
emerging new fields in basic bio-sciences will continue to offer professional biologist good opportunities in all kinds of research institutions, when governments will realize
that massive support of basic or fundamental sciences is the key for future survival of
mankind. A society cannot afford not to support basic research and development on a
large scale.
3.The Orientation of fundamental bioscience towards applications
There is an increased tendency to make use of biological processes of many kinds in a wide
range of industrial activities. Governmental funding supports the trend to orientate
fundamental research towards product development, quality control, consumer research and so
on.
In all cases the end is achieved only as a result of processes of research and development
involving biological «know-how» and biologists with a broad range of skills.
Figure 1 summarizes some of the traditional and actual uses of biological processes as
biological «know-how», that is to say the thinking, techniques, methodologies, processes and
results, presently able to contribute to areas, in which biologists find employment; the area of
medicine and pharmacy, the area of food and agriculture (animal production and plant
production), the area of environment and the steadily expanding area of industrial use.
3.i Medicine and Pharmacy
Pharmaceutical firms employ an increasing number of biologists. This relies upon
the many and varied aspects of biological «know-how» involved: new diagnostics
(genome-analysis, monoclonal antibodies), new treatment methods (immune-
regulation, plasminogen-activation), new medicals (interferon), alternative methods
for testing (screening methods, toxicity measures) and the complex area of in vitro-fertilization.
3.H Animal and Plant Production
The nutrition of man and of all domestic animals has always been of vital interest,
and. even with the advances of «civilization»> more people arc still employed in
agriculture than in any other industry, even in some of the most developed countries.
Agriculture is a technology depending on many sciences, of which biology, in the
widest sense, is the most important. The specialization of agriculture into animal
production or plant production has widened the influence of biological background.
Growth hormones, feed stuffs, vaccines, veterinarian drugs and the technique of
superovulation are entirely biological developments.
Fertilization and embryo-manipulation are new technologies of yet unsettled
importance which will involve biological I know-how and will offer positions for
biologists.
For plant production new breeding methods, the transfer of symbiotic abilities for
NVfixation and of resistance to diseases, pests and high soil salt concentration will involve
biologists with their skills in plant cell culture and gene transfer techniques.
Future use of biological know-how will also include less obviously related disciplines
like psychology, sociology, psychiatry e{c. Ethology and animal behaviour are
beginning to be used as basis for comparable studies of brain research, gerontology,
neurobiology with the aim of asking what functions underlie human behaviour and
how human mentality is working.
However, such developments in biological know-how need to be put into a wider
context by competent biologists.
All biologists should be able and encouraged to discuss with industrial, governmental
and political representatives within and outside the parliament, where such
developments are likely to go and what impact they might have on society.