Career in Biotechnology
Biotechnology can simply be defined as technology based on biology, involving the use of living organisms. It’s mainly used in agriculture, food science, and medicine. The term was coined in 1919, by Károly Ereky, a Hungarian agricultural engineer, who is also seen by some as the ‘father’ of biotechnology.
Biotechnologists seek to understand and manipulate the basic building blocks of living things, and they use the techniques of molecular biology to do so. They study the genetic, chemical, and physical attributes of cells, tissues, and organisms, and identify practical uses for this knowledge.
With a broad spectrum of roles and companies within this field, from manufacturing to development to regulatory, to commercial, a long-term career is promising.
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There are many courses within Biotechnology, some listed as follows :
- (BE) Bachelor of Engineering in Biotechnology
- (B.Sc) Bachelor of Science in Applied Biotechnology
- (B.Sc) Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology
- (B.Sc) Bachelor of Science in Medical Biotechnology
- (B. Tech) Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology
However, we’ll focus here on two of the most popular courses within Biotechnology.
Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology (B.Sc.)
B. Sc. in Biotechnology is a 3-years undergraduate degree that surrounds the advanced study of the cellular and biomolecular processes for the development of a variety of technologies and products that contribute to improving people’s lives and health. The course familiarizes candidates with the usage of living organisms and bioprocesses in the field of medicine, technology, engineering, and other bioproducts.
Eligibility
Students must have cleared their Higher Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools (10th and 12th) with a minimum of 50% aggregate. It’s necessary to have PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) as core subjects, with mathematics as one of the subjects too.
Following are the entrance exams students will need to give in order to grab a seat in one of the best institutions :
- AIIMS Biotechnology Entrance Test
- JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) Combined Biotechnology Entrance Examination
- DU (University of Delhi) Biotechnology Entrance Examination.
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology Entrance Examination
Top Colleges
Career in Biotechnology: Job Profiles
- Biotech Product Analyst
- Business Development Manager
- Clinical Research Associate (CRA)
- Marketing Manager
- Medical Coder
- Professor/Lecturer
- Quality Control Analyst
- Research Associate
- Research Scientist
- Research Analyst
- Sales Officer
Career in Biotechnology: Relevant Future Path
While there are a number of courses you can pursue after completing a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology if you wish to continue in the same field, following are the course you can take up :
- Master of Science (M.Sc) in Biotechnology – a 2-year post-graduate course, where students will learn the application of biotechnology in fields such as animal husbandry, growth of vaccines and medicines, agriculture, pollution control, energy production and conservation, healing of prolonged disease and ecological conservation, and in development of insecticides, fertilizers, and quality of seeds.
- Master of Science (M.Sc) in Microbiology – a 2-year postgraduate course, combining biology and chemistry for investigation of the living system and their relationship with the environment. It covers the study of microorganisms and their effect on humans.
- Master of Science (M.Sc) in Biochemistry – a 2-year post-graduate course which deals with the study of the chemical processes in living organisms, including but not limited to, living matter.
Admission into all these master’s courses requires students to give entrance exams like GATE, and other university organized exams, along with a personal interview.
There are much more interesting master’s courses that you can pursue within this field, some of them are listed below :
- M.Sc Molecular Biology
- M.Sc Animal Biotechnology
- M.Sc Biophysics
- M.Sc Biostatistics
- M.Sc Genetics
- M.Sc Nano Biotechnology
- M.Sc Plant Biotechnology
- M.Sc Forensic Science
Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology (B.Tech)
This 4-year long undergraduate course is essentially an engineering program and is a combination of biology and technology. It’s similar to an applied science course, so to say that there will be more practical learning. The course is designed to expose the students to recent exciting developments in the area of Biotechnology and their application in industry, agriculture, and medicine.
Eligibility
Students must have cleared their secondary education with PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) as their core subjects, with 50% minimum aggregate.
Following are the entrance exams you might need to clear in order to pursue this degree :
Top Colleges
Career in Biotechnology: Job Profiles
- Biotechnologist
- Business Development Execute
- Lab Technician/Instructor
- Maintenance Engineer
- Quality Control Officer
- Research Associate
- Research Scientist
- Sales Representative
- Science Writer
- Teacher/Professor
Career in Biotechnology: Relevant Future Path
While there are a number of courses you can pursue after completing B.Tech in Biotechnology if you wish to continue in the same field, following are the course you can take up :
- M.Tech/ME in Biotechnology – a 2-year post-graduation course, it allows students to do some patent research work in collaboration with some of the fastest-growing organizations.
- M.Phil in Biotechnology – this course requires students to first hold a master’s degree in the same field. It’s essentially a 1-year course, but it can extend to 2 years if the student opts for distance learning or a part-time course. The course is made up mostly of laboratory work, computer applications, and research.
- Ph.D. in Biotechnology – it’s a 3 to 5 years doctoral course. Students must have a master’s in the same field. The course involves an advanced, research-based study of the discipline of life and basic sciences, and allied disciplines of microbiology, and related technology.
A few other similar courses you can pursue are :
- Diploma in Biotechnology Engineering
- Certificate Course in Biotechnology
- Certificate Course in Advanced Biotechnology
- Certificate in Biotechnology and Plant Tissue Culture
If you wish to change your track after Biotechnology, then there are plenty of courses to choose from. We are listing a few here :
[For students seeking admissions in Indian universities, you’ll have to appear for certain entrance examinations like CAT and CMAT. For universities abroad, students only need to appear for GRE or GMAT.]
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We hope this is going to be helpful if you are planning to pursue a career in biotechnology. For more guidance, feel free to connect with us and provide your feedback as well, so that we can also improve in the future.
