Miller Magazine Issue 137 May 2021

78 TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM MILLER / may 2021 However, there are still lots of work to do. For the de- velopment of the biotechnology ecosystem in our coun- try, it is very important to update all the relevant legisla- tion, particularly the Biosafety Law No. 5977, in a way to clear the way and make things easier for the sector. The practices such as providing the companies -included in the biotechnology ecosystem and creating high added value- with special technological investment incentives, assignment of specific OIZ for biotechnology and land allocation for use for a period of 40-50 years, will pave the way for the industry. What sort of contributions do you think the merger of technology and agriculture will make to the countries? The scientist Susan Hockfield who is the very first female rector of the worldwide known MIT has a book which I love so much. I think the title of the book is “The Age of Liv- ing Machines: How Biology Will Build the Next Technology Revolution?” Perhaps the best answer to this question is given in this study. Hockfield points out that the humanity has faced increasingly greater difficulties in the supply of energy, water and food due to the increase in world popu- lation. She describes the industrial biotechnology, which is achieved by blending the findings in biology with the engi- neering, as the course of action that should be embraced by the humanity in order to overcome these difficulties. Reaching a volume of $315 billion globally, industri- al biotechnology is appealing not only for the share of wealth it delivers, but also for other benefits it has to of- fer. That’s because the industrial biotechnology produces sustainable solutions which are both more efficient and capable of maintaining environmental balances in energy, water and food supply. If our country can catch up with this revolutionary glob- al change, we will become economically independent. We will become stronger in ensuring the security of our food supply which is strategically important. No doubt that the way to catch this transformation in a timely manner is through strong R&D activities. The success achieved by LIVZYM in industrial produc- tion based on its R&D activities of more than 6 years (the very first invoice was issued 6 years and 4 days after its establishment) relies on very good lessons to be taken by other enterprises aiming at a production with a high technological added value. We are a strong country, home to a population of 84 mil- lion, with an exceptional background, geographical and cultural wealth. Thanks to this experience, I have full faith in us that we will be able to carry out the organization required to transform our economy into a structure that produces outcomes with a high added value. As a scientist, what advice can you give to the young people of our country? If I would give them any advice towards a goal, I would firstly recommend that they make sure whether they will be passionately and enthusiastically attached to that par- ticular goal. If not supported by proper passionate feel- ings, chances are the efforts put into this way will fail. It will never be possible to master on any subject without working days and nights for at least 15 years. Without a production, it is very difficult to get rich in every sense. Frankly, I would advise the young brothers and sisters simply to discover their passions in life. How is LIVZYM doing right now? Do you have any goals and projects you plan to do? Could you tell us about them? At present, we focused all our energy on LIVZYM’s suc- cessful progress and national enzyme production. We ex- pect that LIVZYM will reach a production capacity which is equivalent to that of PETKIM or TUPRAS in its field in a period of 5 to 10 years. As a child who grew up in this land, I actually have a bigger dream, in which new LIVZYMs emerge from the way paved by LIVZYM; and eventually the industrial biotechnology ecosystem further develops in our country, in a way it much deserves.