生物技术

Background

生物技术 may be thought of as a collection of technologies using animal and/or plant cells, 生物分子, molecular 生物学 processes and genetic engineering for applications in medicine, 农业和制药业. The technologies include the use of recombinant DNA for gene cloning and gene transfers between organisms; culture of plant and animal cells and tissues; fusion of animal cells or plant protoplast; the regeneration of whole 植物 from single cells and the large-scale fermentation processes that use some of these novel organisms for the production of pharmaceuticals, 疾病诊断试验, 饲料添加剂, 酶和激素.

Examples of successful biotechnology include the development of crop 植物 that are resistant to herbicides or insects, the production of human growth hormone and insulin by genetically engineered bacteria and the development of unique vaccines.

项目和课程

The recommended course of study includes courses to develop special skills that are needed to enter the rapidly expanding and changing field of biotechnology. 除了必修课程之外, students may select from a variety of specialized elective science courses to help develop a particular area of interest. Students majoring in biotechnology are required to either complete an internship or perform a research project in the laboratory of a faculty advisor. The biotechnology program leads to a Bachelor of Science degree.

师资和设施

提供建议的教员, teach and serve as research mentors for the biotechnology program are spread among several academic departments. The departments include 植物科学; biological sciences, 生物学, 化学, bio化学 and molecular 生物学; animal and range sciences; plant pathology; veterinary and microbiological sciences; and pharmaceutical sciences. Several scientists at the 乐虎电子 Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering and at the on-campus USDA facilities also serve as research mentors.

Laboratory facilities and specialized equipment are used for instruction and research. These include animal and plant tissue culture facilities, 小动物舍, 电子和共聚焦显微镜, 自动DNA测序设备, 进行微阵列实验的设备, 和NDSU核心实验室. The Core Labs are shared cutting-edge research facilities and include the Advanced Imaging and Microscopy Core, 核心生物设施, 核心综合和分析服务, µCore(发音为“micro”-core), 以及电子显微镜核心实验室, among many other state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.

职业发展机会

生物技术 continues to rapidly develop into new research areas. Surveys indicate there will be a continuing high demand for well-educated personnel. Job opportunities are found in life science departments in colleges and universities; private and government research institutes; food production, pharmaceutical and agri-chemical industries; and in the biotechnology industries. 研究生s of this program have the educational background and laboratory experience to take advantage of any of these job opportunities. 研究生s of the biotechnology program are now successful and productive scientists at pharmaceutical, 农业化学和生物技术公司, and at government and private research institutions throughout the country.

The majority (approximately 60 percent) of graduates from the biotechnology program choose to continue their education in graduate or professional schools. 研究生s of the biotechnology program have earned master’s and doctoral degrees in many diverse areas, 包括细胞和分子生物学, 生物学, 微生物学, 植物科学, 动物生理学, cancer 生物学 and virology at many of the most respected universities in the United States. 研究生s of our program are now established and productive professors, physicians and veterinarians.

高中准备

Students entering the biotechnology program should have a strong background in mathematics, 包括三角函数, 生物学, 化学, 物理, 写作和计算机课程. 建议综合ACT成绩达到26分或更高.

转学生准备

Transfer students are strongly advised to take transferable general education courses and intro 生物学 and intro 化学 courses in preparation for upper-level science courses at NDSU.