The Biotechnology Program You Need to Launch Your Career Takes Two Years To Complete
Posted by Jason White on Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Under: College Education
Those who graduate from Biotechnology college programs must be prepared
to work in a number of areas. That's because their main job of assuring
quality control can be applied to all areas of food, pharmaceutical and
cosmetic manufacturing. More specifically, bench technicians (as these
professionals are known in the field), should have the know-how to:
prepare microbiological media and reagents, and culture pathogenic
microbes; prepare specimens for staining; isolating, enumerating and
identifying microorganisms from many types of samples (water, soil, air,
body, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products); design and perform
microbiology experiments; handle materials and instruments such as pH
and BOD meters, Gas Chromatographs, spectrophotometers (regular/IR/UV),
HPLC's, and more.
It takes students two years at Centennial College's Biotechnology program
to learn the skills they need to carry out the above tasks. It is worth
noting that eight up-to-date laboratories and modern wireless lecture
facilities housed at Centennial's most technologically advanced campus
assist students in their studies as theory is combined with ongoing
laboratory work. Additionally, qualified faculty and staff member
provide individual attention in laboratories while encouraging teamwork
skills.
While all 23 classes are vital to students' post-graduate success, here
is a closer look at five of the program's most essential courses.
Recombinant DNA Technology: A combination of theory and practical
application, this class first covers the theoretical and applied aspects
of basic biotechnology techniques for the study of DNA and proteins.
Students then apply theory and practical skills to perform standard
molecular biology techniques for the isolation, manipulation and
analysis of DNA as well as the expression and purification of protein.
Microbiology Techniques: Students acquire the skills and knowledge
necessary to work in a microbiology lab by learning to perform safe,
up-to-date methods to identify microorganisms. This hands-on lab course
allows student to grow microorganisms and identify them using
microscopes, staining and biochemical procedures.
Food Microbiology: Emphasis in this course is on quality control of raw
materials and finished products, microbial metabolism, established food
and drug regulations and guidelines. Theory of good manufacturing
practice for food manufacturers, and hazard analysis and critical
control point programs field assignments and applications assist
students in applying the theory.
Pharmaceutical Microbiology: Students learn concepts of quality control
and assurance as they apply to the pharmaceutical industry, based on
current government regulations. They get to perform laboratory
procedures while practicing safe, aseptic laboratory technique.
Microbiology Projects: With the first Microbiology Project course,
students learn to locate, collect and interpret scientific information
for the purpose of designing laboratory procedures. Meanwhile, in the
second Microbiology Project, students choose a project topic, gather
information through literature search, select a protocol and perform a
microbiology experiment over the course of six weeks. Students submit
several written reports as well as a final project thesis upon
conclusion of the laboratory component.
Biotechnology technician applicants are asked to have completed an
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of
age or older. Also required is completion of compulsory English 12C or U
or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11M or U or 12C or U or
skills assessment, or equivalent.
In : College Education
Tags: biotechnology technician biotechnology college