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More recently, gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Serum from recovered patients, rich in anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, was transfused into critically ill patients to provide an immediate, albeit temporary, immune boost while their own adaptive immune system mounted a response. This ancient technique—first used in the 1890s for diphtheria—remains a vital stopgap measure against novel pathogens.
Consequently, a major frontier in biotechnology is the development of . Researchers are painstakingly identifying the exact growth factors and nutrients cells need, replacing "nature's brew" with a fully synthetic, consistent, and ethical alternative. Success in this area will revolutionize drug manufacturing and regenerative medicine. Consequently, a major frontier in biotechnology is the
Despite its power, serum has significant drawbacks. For therapeutics, animal-derived serum can cause allergic reactions (serum sickness). For diagnostics, serum is a snapshot in time, not a predictor of future events. In cell culture, FBS suffers from batch-to-batch variability, risks of contamination (viruses, prions), and serious ethical concerns regarding its collection from pregnant cows. Despite its power, serum has significant drawbacks
Beyond the human body, serum is a workhorse in laboratories worldwide. Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is the most common supplement added to cell culture media. It provides a complex cocktail of growth factors, hormones, and attachment factors that are necessary for most human and animal cells to grow and divide outside the body. Without FBS, the production of many modern biologics would be impossible. This includes the manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies (used for cancer and autoimmune diseases), viral vectors for gene therapy, and the cell lines used to produce vaccines (including the COVID-19 vaccines from Novavax and many influenza vaccines). viral vectors for gene therapy