Biotechnology is the application of cellular and biomolecular processes applied to research and product development. Areas of research include the development of therapeutic drugs, therapeutic diagnostic tools, agriculture, bioinformatics, genomics, industrial and environmental biotechnology.

Clinical trials are conducted in phases. The trials at each phase have a different purpose and help scientists answer different questions:

In Phase I trials, researchers test a experimental drug or treatment in a small group of people (20-80) for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.

In Phase II trials, the experimental study drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people (100-300) to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.

In Phase III trials, the experimental study drug or treatment is given to large groups of people (1,000-3,000) to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the experimental drug or treatment to be used safely.

In Phase IV trials, post marketing studies delineate additional information including the drug's risks, benefits, and optimal use.

The Concise Biotechnology Dictionary
The Bio Tech Dictionary is a new community based project to provide short, simple explanations of Bio-Tech terms.