President Thomas Okarma, speaking on behalf of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, underscored the numerous benefits of human cloning research and expressed opposition to the all-out ban.

CNN: U.S. lawmakers debate limits on human cloning

Biotechnology is good at taking genes from one organism (a human being, for example) and sticking them into another (yeast, say) in order to churn out large amounts of a desirable protein.

ECONOMIST: An attempt to mimic part of a cell on a chip

Advanced Tissue Sciences, an American biotechnology company, claimed it would soon be able to grow a human heart in the laboratory .

ECONOMIST: Merger dirge

Exelixis and Maxygen, two firms applying their technology to agricultural ends, had successful stockmarket flotations in the past year, largely because they also have human-health research programmes that allow them to be seen more as medical biotechnology firms than as agricultural ones.

ECONOMIST: Biotechnology

It's the impact of a Health and Human Services Department that funds research by women like Dr. Nina Fedoroff, a biotechnology and life science pioneer -- (applause) -- who won the National Medal of Science in 2006.

WHITEHOUSE: Creating the White House Council on Women & Girls