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Library – Archives – Humanities  / Education / Center for Humanities & History of Modern Biology / Exhibits, Projects and Initiatives / Plant Science, Biotechnology, & Agriculture

The Early Days of Biotech on Long Island

A biotech industry does not spring fully formed from the air, even under the best conditions. One thing that everyone involved in building the biotech industry on Long Island emphasizes is the need for continued support and direction. Even in a place with many universities and other research institutions, simply having all the elements in place is not enough to create and sustain an industry. As Ginny Llobell, former assistant and acting director of the Stony Brook Center for Biotechnology notes, “it looks good conceptually, but when you have to put it to practice, it’s a lot of moving pieces that you have to line up.” State and local governments, universities, people from industry and finance, and institutions like the Center have to interact with one another regularly, explicitly formulate goals, plan how to meet them and take concrete steps to carry out what they have planned.

The Stony Brook Center for Biotechnology

Plants need nitrogen to grow, but a significant portion of the nitrogen in fertilizers is not absorbed by the soil or used by the growing plants. Rather, it washes away into waterways, rivers, and the ocean. This in turn has had devastating effects on marine life. In some areas, excessive nitrogen in the oceans has caused algae blooms that kill wildlife, make it dangerous for people to consume fish or shellfish or in some cases even swim in affected waters. This problem isn’t limited to poorer countries. Nitrogen pollution is a serious problem here on Long Island. In our case, the nitrogen comes primarily from septic tanks and cesspools, although nitrogen from agricultural fertilizers also plays a role. Nitrogen pollution in the waters around Long Island has hampered fishing, made it dangerous to eat seafood from some areas, and caused environmental changes that make coastal areas more prone to flooding.