WHAT IS BIOTECHNOLOGY?

WHAT IS BIOTECHNOLOGY?
Biotechnology is the use or manipulation of an organism or the components of an
organism. By this definition, the origins of biotechnology date back to when people first
began to domesticate animals and cultivate food crops. While those early applications are
certainly still employed today, modern biotechnology is primarily associated with molecular
biology, cloning, and genetic engineering. Within the last 50 years, the biological sciences
were revolutionized by several key discoveries that enabled the rapid evolution of the
biosciences. These discoveries enabled scientists to isolate and manipulate genes, which has
facilitated the growth of the biotechnology industry.
INTRODUCTION TO BIOTECHNOLOGY COURSE
This course introduces students to the fundamental scientific principals of
biotechnology, bioethics, the variety of careers in biosciences, as well as the commercial and
regulatory characteristics of the biosciences. The Introduction to Biotechnology course
emphasizes how key concepts from biology, chemistry, and physics apply to modern
applications within the biological sciences. The knowledge and skills gained in this course
provide students with a broad understanding of biotechnology and the impact it makes on
society. As students work to master the content, they mirror what scientists and technicians
are doing in scientific laboratories. A significant part of the course involves actual and
simulated research being done in actual laboratories world-wide, which gives students the
unique opportunity to carry out the world changing experiments about which they are
learning. To accomplish this goal, the course is especially laboratory intensive, and students
spend 50-75% of class time carrying out actual experiments. This focus on working
knowledge allows students to learn and practice the skills that they would actually use in the
field of biotechnology and build up the practical skill set of each student. Ultimately, the
content and skills covered offer all students the opportunity to acquire basic competencies
required for an entry-level position in any biotechnology company. The target audience
includes all students interested in attending any college or technical schools by providing
foundational concepts and established laboratory procedures in a broad spectrum of
disciplines such as biology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology,
genetics, and immunology.
Workers in biotechnology design, develop, and evaluate systems and products such
as artificial organs, artificial limbs, medication information systems, medical equipment and
instrumentation. Tasks associated with careers in biotechnology include researching new
materials for biomedical equipment, evaluating the safety of such equipment, utilizing
computer simulation of the body’s organs and systems, designing and developing new
procedures and equipment for detecting disease, and advising hospitals and other medical
facilities on the use of new and existing medical equipment. Major employers include
research and development companies, medicine manufacturers, medical equipment and
supply manufacturers, and private hospitals.