Career in Biotechnology. Need help planning.

[augment]

I'm currently a junior in Wisconsin. I'm fascinated by the field of biotechnology and all the possible benefits that it could bring. I'm trying to plan an education path for a career in biotechnology and creating my own biotech company(years down the road). If someone could list the top ten colleges or something or maybe map out what they've done to get into the field it would be greatly appreciated.

 

EDIT: Oh I'm a junior in high school.

[Bluenoise]

What exactley do you want to do in biotech? There are alot of different carrers and paths to take.

 

Research? Business etc...

[augment]

Research. Specifically genetic engineering.

[Bluenoise]

Well I'd suggest going into a biochemistry program, though if too much chemistry scares you molecular biology would surfice. I wouldn't recomend genetics though, it probably wont focus where you need it too.

 

I'm in Canada and know most about schools here. There are great american schools for this stuff. Berkley is great plus just about every other big californian school, Harvard, Cal-tech, Cornell. Really any school that tends to have a good medical program will also have good programs in these areas. Umm really it's not that important where you go for your undergrad or even your grad school if your goal is research. What you need to do is try to get as much lab experience as an undergrad and good grades, so you can pick a very good lab for grad school. Also READ, find good review journals and keep up to date with what's going on, that way you'll know what you have to do to get where you want to go with your research.

 

Like I'm in the process of going to grad school. I got offers at the top 3 ranked schools here. But in the end I decided to goto the 3rd best. It came down to it just having the most inovative well funded lab with an awesome supervisor. I really wanted to goto the top school, but if I did I'd be kicking myself for turnign down the project of a life time .

[augment]

That's a good point. Money is also a factor, although I'll apply for scholarships, most likely have to get student loans, and I think American gov't offers grants for kids who have a single parent. I found a school in my state that offers a major in Biotechnology. I will have to do more research though as to whether the school is good or not, but if you said its not as important where you get your undergraduate from it wont matter that much. Heres a to the schoolslinkhttp://www.uwrf.edu/programs/frameset.php?link=BIOT site with info on thier Biotech major. In the list of classes for that major I see biochemistry and organic chemistry. UCLA seems to have a really good program for this sorta thing from what I've read.

 

I will be taking advanced biology next year, but from what I've heard they dont talk to much about genetics and stuff so I'm wanting to buy a textbook from amazon.com and try and teach myself a little bit. I figure it can't hurt. Is there any books you'd recommend getting? Thanks for the help.

 

-J

[Bluenoise]

I mean it's not particularly important if your goal is research, because ultimatley the way you will be judged is by the works you have published. And you will get these publications for the most part in grad school. And since entry to grad school is based off #1 Marks #2 research experience #3 your GRE's the school you went to for your undergrad really takes a back seat.

 

For people who wish to exit school and join the private sector the institution that grants your degree is very important, as that is all a job interviewer will look at.

[augment]

Yea I prolly definately want to go in the private sector. One question what's a GRE? Is it similiar to a GPA(Grade Point Average)? I've still got a lot of research to do yet on colleges so I'm far from choosing one.

 

-J

[badchad]

the GRE is the Graduate Record Examination.

 

It's a standardized test for graduate school applicants (like the SAT for undergrads). There are also specific GRE exams, like a GRE in biology.

[Zero Wing]

Berkley is great plus just about every other big californian school, Harvard, Cal-tech, Cornell.

I just want to interrupt for a half-way random note; those guys are all ivy league, and tough to get in to, so if your act isn't at it's best right now, at least keep other schools that are sorta "up there" with them in mind. I know U of M has nice med/tech programs, esspecially in enginineering. Ok, as you where; just saying.

[augment]

I just want to interrupt for a half-way random note; those guys are all ivy league, and tough to get in to, so if your act isn't at it's best right now, at least keep other schools that are sorta "up there" with them in mind. I know U of M has nice med/tech programs, esspecially in enginineering. Ok, as you where; just saying.

 

U of M? Please specify.

[Yggdrasil]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has an excellent biochemistry program, so since you are from Wisconsin, I would tell you to look there first. I am in the biochemistry program at UCLA and I would recommmend it as well, though out-of-state tuition can get pretty costly. If you are really interested in internships at biotech firms, I would also take a look at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego as both the San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego are home to quite a number of biotech firms.

 

Anyway, if you are interested in research, I would suggest going to a large public research university. While they might not treat you as nicely as a small private liberal arts college would, a lot of advanced research goes on in public universities. As an undergraduate at such a university, you would have the opportunity to work on a research project and gain some hands-on experience before you head out into the workforce.

[augment]

I'm really confused. I'm new at this and I just want to know why I would major in biochemistry.

[jowrose]

Hey Augment, I'm a junior in high school as well, and facing a similar dilemma. I want to major in science, as you do (but maybe no biochem), and have been looking around for colleges with good science programs. I'm heading over to the east coast (I live near Chicago) to go take a look at colleges over spring break; I think we're looking at Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, Rensselaer, Boston U and maybe one more. Rensselaer looks really nice, especially from a scientific viewpoint (they're really big on science, much like MIT). I'll try to remember to post anything interesting I find out in 2 weeks after I get back.

 

-john

[augment]

And we share names. How about that. I should've specified in my previous post, I want to be a genetic engineer so wouldnt biochemistry be sorta the wrong field. I don't want to offend anyone or make you think I dont care what you have to say because I do.

[jowrose]

Biochemistry would probably still be important, as genetic engineering does require a knowledge of the atomic structure of DNA, RNA, mRNA, proteins, etc.

[augment]

Bluenoise: Just out of curiuosity, what is your major?

[Bluenoise]

My Major Is

 

Honours Biochemistry with Biotechnology specialization.

 

Which just means it's a biochemistry degree however most of my free and group electives are preassinged to certain biotech and molecular biology courses.

 

 

There are no genetic engineering degrees (that I know of there's probably an exception somewhere). The reason that you wouldn't necessarily want to take a straight biotech degree with the intention of doing research is because that replaces alot of the research oriented courses with more business and industry oriented ones. However you can still do research with one you just might find yourself "lacking" in some areas. Molecular Biology is like the science of biotechnology so that is why I keep on bringing molecular biology up.

 

However biochemistry includes much of what you'd need from molecular biology plus the fundamental chemical principles you need to know to do serious manipulations.

 

Biochemistry/molecularbiology all provides roughts into the same graduate programs and careers since they probably overlap 80% of their material. However I'd recomend biochemistry because I think it's more "rounded" and It will really let you get a feel for everything and decided how you wish to proceed.

 

However if taking straight chemistry courses is completely out of the question for you molecular biology or even biotechnology would surfice. It's really up to you. If you can handle both chemistry and biology then I'd suggest taking biochemistry. It's my personal oppinion that a good knowledge of chemistry is essential for a true understanding of biology as a whole. Not to say that I beleive that you can explain everything in biology with chemistry, but it be fool hardy to say you can explain all biology without chemistry.

 

To give you an idea I'm doing research this summer in a molecular biology lab on Biodesign.

Following that I'll be doing research with RNA and DNA controls of gene expression.

 

Alot of people thing of biochemistry as drug design but it's really move far away from that in the past few years, design of small organic compound is mostly left to organic chemists now.

 

Really it doesn't matter which one of the degrees I've mentioned you do as long as you do well and get research experience, you'll be able to go onto whatever you want.

[mattbimbo]

there is an alternative, study business and learn languages, became an entrepreneur and let others do the genetic engineering. scientists with genetic engineering skills are in excess. i have worked in China, and i can assure you more are on the way. i think the most important talent you will need is to spot a financial opportunity in the biotech industry and get their first.

[Bluenoise]

the most important talent you will need is to spot a financial opportunity in the biotech industry and get their first.

 

Which is likely to require a knowledge of science.

 

Lets face it there is no lack of people with business skills as well.

 

The trick is being the best

[augment]

I know this would prolly be hard but what about a double major in molecular biology and biochemistry?

[zyncod]

Just wait until you get to college - you have plenty of years of schooling ahead of you (at least 11 from what it sounds like you want to do). Taking courses and working in labs should give you a better idea of what's involved. I thought that I wanted to work in "genetic engineering" too (y'know, the whole Monsanto thing - without the evil) until I worked in a lab where I had to construct over a hundred plasmids. Genetic engineering is a good tool, but I found out that I don't just want to make tools.

[Bluenoise]

I know this would prolly be hard but what about a double major in molecular biology and biochemistry?

 

Well biochemistry is really molecular biology + some chemistry - minus some biology.

...so they're would be no point really. The two disciplines are very simular.

 

Plus I don't thick it's possible in most schools. At mine the biochemistry program doesn't leave you with enough electives to even take a minor along side it, never the less a major.

 

But you can still take all the molecular biology courses, since both programs will likely have 70% of the same courses. So what I did was took the biochem program and then used my options and electives to take all the molecular biology courses I wanted.

 

This is all depending on the school you try to apply for. It's not possible at mine, to get a biochemistry degree with a minor you'd have to spend an extra year in school minimun I know no one doing it.

 

Now once again this all depends on where you apply, the best thing to do is to look at the programs at different schools see what they offer, what courses you'll take and make your decision.

[augment]

Yea. UW of Madison is looking nice. They have a molecular biology and biochemistry major and also what looks like a good genetics program.

[badchad]

Someone eluded to it earlier but if you look at the grand scheme of things, your undergraduate education will probably mean very little. It's more the work you do, and whom you do it with. To give a quick example:

 

I'm currently a graduate student at a very "average" school. However, we have professors that have published in Science and Nature, and also a nobel laureate on our faculty. Everyone enters into a single "interdisciplinary" program. Thus, you could easily be accepted into an "average" non-ivy league school and be doing ground breaking work.

 

Also consider your post-doctoral experience and what it actually is: You have a highly trained individual with a Ph.D willing to work for $30Kish a year. Few investigators would turn that opportunity down. Thus, even when I finish my my Ph.D at my very "average" school, I will probably have the option of going into a variety of labs (including what some consider "prestigious" ones).

 

My point is that if you want a famous school, go for it. However, don't get hung up on it, or give up if you're not accepted.

[augment]

Badchad: What is your major and what school are u going to? Thanks.