3 Snapshot of the biosciences The scope of the biosciences is very wide, encompassing the basic sci- ences, technologies, and methods used in research, as well as the industries that apply and commercialize the novel findings of biosci- entists. 1 Basic bioscience includes all disciplines in the natural sci- ences that relate to living organisms, such as cell biology, genetics, zoology, and botany. Applied bioscience includes such disciplines as biotechnology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and energy, as well as related software and information systems developed for bio- logical applications. Numerous industries are or will be affected by the biosciences, such as insurance (genetic screening), personal security (biometrics such as DNA identification), family counseling (genetic testing for hereditary conditions), and, of course, healthcare (gene therapies).