Biotechnology
About Biotechnology
Biotechnology is the scientific manipulation of living organisms, especially at the molecular genetic level. UBC's program combines the world-class science curriculum available at University of British Columbia with the extensive industry-focused laboratory training available at BCIT. The program equips students with the lab, scientific and technical expertise, and the business and communication skills, to start a biotechnology career as soon as you graduate. Courses are housed in the new state-of-the-art Biosciences Teaching Building, the flagship Life Sciences Centre, and the Michael Smith Laboratories, named after the Nobel laureate and UBC professor Dr. Michael Smith.
Program Details
The five-year program is offered in cooperation with BCIT. Students complete a 30-credit first-year program at UBC and then move to BCIT for two years, returning to UBC for about two years of academic and co-op work terms. The combination of theoretical and practical studies focused on microbiology and related disciplines is designed for students hoping to work in the growing biotechnology sector of our economy.
Skills
- Collaboration with cross-discipline laboratory teams
- Presentation of technical and scientific data to non-technical audiences
- Quantitative and qualitative analytical skills
- Compliance with quality control and safety regulations
- Analytical method development or validation (QA/QC)
- Use of ELISA, PCR, CRISPR technology in plant and animal cells, gel-electrophoresis, western blot, protein purification, isolation and characterization, bacterial culture, cell passaging, and plant micropropagation
- Use of instruments for bioinformatics, gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy, fermenters, microscopy, liquid chromatography-triple quad mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
Programs offered
- Honours, Biotechnology
Resources
Career Options
With an undergraduate degree
- Agricultural technician/technologist
- Agrology technician
- Aquaculture technician
- Bacteriological technician
- Biofuel analyst
- Biological laboratory technologist
- Bio-production operator
- Biotechnology technician
- Fish hatchery technician
- Fisheries technician
- Food and drug inspector
- Food bacteriological technician
- Laboratory technician
- Marketing specialist
- Microbiology quality control technologist
- Plant breeding technician
- Pollution control inspector
- Product testing associate
- Quality control technician
- Seed technologist
- Technical sales representative
- Technical Writer
- Water treatment technician
- Wildlife biology technician
With additional study
- Agricultural scientist
- Bioinformatician
- Biomedical engineer
- Biostatistician
- Biotechnical engineer
- Clinical research associate
- Consumer protection specialist
- Environmental attorney
- Epidemiologist
- Gene technologist
- Genetic counselor
- Health care administrator
- Occupational hygienist
- Occupational therapist
- Patent agent
- Patent attorney
- Pharmaceutical or medicinal chemist
- Regulatory affairs expert
- Teacher/Professor
- Toxicologist
- Veterinarian
UBC Science Biotechnology Graduates Work As
- MSc Candidate in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto
- Research Technologist, STEMCELL Technologies
- PhD Candidate in Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia
- Research Assistant, BC Cancer Agency
- PhD Candidate in Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Michigan
Related Professional Groups
More Career Resources
Honours: First-Year Requirements
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