What is Biotechnology?
Biotechnology is a blend of two concepts. They are Biology and Technology. It involves the development of biomolecular and cellular procedures. This subject supports advancing the health of the entire world. And this is not a new subject. Our ancestors had this for decades and eras. A simple example is, making bread and cheese. It’s just raw milk. And then the bacteria play their role and make them into cheese.
Basically, it is a simple process but it can be explained scientifically through Biotechnology.
The present and the future
If we travel back to the time Biotechnology has a very rich history. 7000 years ago, the Mesopotamians used this subject to make vinegar out of wine. Also, there was a French chemist who developed climatic nitrogen grow plants. And it acted as a fertilizer. But the evolutional period started in the 17th century. Anton Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch examiner just scraped from his teeth. After that, he started examining them. Then Louis Pasteur invented the process of making beer by the use of yeast. And in the Period of World War I, glycerin was manufactured nitroglycerin.
Today, biotechnology is not about baking cake. It is about cloning DNA. And creating new lives and even tissues. It is involved in almost every field and industry. In fact, industrial biotechnology is a very famous concept nowadays. We may not notice. But we use this subject a lot in our day-to-day lives. These are some such examples.
- Ethanol
- Yogurt
- Detergent powder
- Cotton clothes
- Makeup
- Medicine
And in the future, there will be inventions and developments we cannot imagine. There will be DNA treatments. And creating substitutes for the scarce resources in this world.
The program
At present, B.Sc. in Biotechnology is a very demanding degree. It is ideal for a student who likes to implement new things. This is a great program especially for the students who have done Biology in their advanced level classes. Generally, the program duration is three years. And there are six semesters. In addition, you will get to learn modules such as,
- Genetics
- Biochemistry
- Plant physiology
- Bioinformatics
- Food and industrial biotechnology.
- Introduction to laboratory science
This subject has so many practice sessions as well. You will experiment with lessons you learn in the class in laboratories. And at the end of the degree, the student must do individual research.
Career Opportunities
The growth in jobs
The 2020 data show that Biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies have the biggest revenues in the USA. And Johnson & Johnson is at the top of the list. Moreover, USA Biotechnology contributes about 3% to the global market. There are over 2000 companies in the USA. These companies create many employment opportunities with higher salaries.
Options available
You can also consider some other countries to look for job opportunities after studying these degree programs. Especially, countries like,
- United Kingdom
- China
- Germany
- Japan
- France
- Canada
- Australia
- Switzerland
These are in the top ten countries that spend more on research and development.
There are just a few job opportunities that you can look into. You can become a,
- Research Lab assistant
- Biotech Research scientist
- Agri & Food Science technician
- Animal technician
- Biomanufacturing technician/specialist
- Cell culture technician
- Soil & Plant Scientist
You can also become a Lecturer and pass the torch…
Almost every occupation mention above comes with a higher salary. For instance, a biomanufacturing specialist earns an annual average salary of USD 80,000. An animal scientist earns around USD 61, 000 per year. You can earn big money.
Postgraduate opportunities
This subject needs further learning to keep the student up to date. Since it goes hand in hand with technology, many new concepts come to the scientific world every day. And that is why studying further is important to a student who completes this degree.
Here are some post-graduate opportunities that you can consider.
- La Trobe University – Master of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics
- University of San Francisco – Master in Biotechnology
- Coventry University – M.Sc. in Biotechnology
- University of Glasgow – M.Sc. in Biotechnology
- Newcastle University – M.Sc. in Biotechnology & Business Enterprise.
- University of Bath – M.Sc. in Molecular Biosciences (Biotechnology)
- Northumbria University, Newcastle – M.Sc. in Biotechnology
- Queens University Belfast – M.Sc. in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology
- Newcastle University – Ph.D. in Biotechnology
- University of York – M.Sc. in Industrial Biotechnology
This degree is a very interesting program. Technology creates new needs and wants every day. And the companies need to solve these problems. As a result, they will need employees every day.
Moreover, if you find out these degrees are expensive then you can look for a scholarship option. Since there are universities that offer scholarship opportunities for this subject you can always make your dreams come true.
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