Biotechnology Laboratory Methods

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The Biotechnology Laboratory Methods certificate is designed for students who currently have previous coursework or experience equivalent to the core biotechnology AAS or AS program courses in biology and chemistry to quickly obtain additional laboratory training and update their current skills in order to broaden their job position or to obtain employment in biotechnology. The certificate includes the Biotechnology program capstone courses BIO 250 - Cell & Molec Bio-Nucleic Acids , BIO 251 - Cell & Molecular Bio-Proteins and Microbiology to provide them with more than 200 hours of hands-on lab experience, as well as Statistics to ensure graduates are able to interpret scientific data.

The certificate coursework is structured to allow students to develop marketable job skills, focusing on written and oral communications, critical thinking, problem-solving, computer skills and small-group collaboration. The hands-on laboratory work enables students to develop understanding and proficiency in the following wide variety of biotechnology laboratory methods:

Nucleic Acids	Protein Chemistry		Microbiology

Laboratory Safety	Computer Modeling of Protein Structures and Interactions		Oil Immersion Microscopy
Laboratory Notebooks and Documentation	Solution Preparation		Aseptic Transfers and Inoculation
Solution Preparation	Measure Total Protein in Food Samples		Wet Mount and Hanging Drop Preparations
Plant Tissue Culture	Measure Enzyme Activity		Staining Techniques: Simple, Negative, Gram, Acid-Fast, Capsule, Endospore, Flagella
Restriction Enzymes	Test Effects of Concentrations, pH and Temperature on Enzymes
Restriction Digestion Analysis	Chromatography Methods:		Colony Morphology Analysis
Conventional PCR		Size Exclusion	Isolation Methods
qPCR		Affinity	Selective Media Analysis
Agarose Gel Electrophoresis		Ion Exchange	Metabolic Analysis:
STR Analysis	Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis			Carbohydrate, Protein
gDNA Extraction	Protein Extraction & Purification		Identification of Unknown Microorganism
GMO Food Testing	Analysis of Extracted Protein		Antimicrobial Susceptibility Analysis
Gene Cloning		SDS-PAGE	Plaque Assay and Analysis
Nested PCR	Enzyme Activity		Total Coliform Determination
PCR Product Purification	ELISA and Automation of ELISA’s
Ligation into Plasmid vectors	Western Blotting
Clone Sequence Analysis	2-D PAGE
Bioinformatics
Southern Blotting

Please check with the program chairperson for Biotechnology or an advisor for additional information or assistance. For more information about the Biotechnology program, please visit our website at www.dmacc.edu/programs/biotechnology.

Locations: Ankeny

Selected courses in this program are offered at other campuses.

Students start Fall or Spring semester.

Program Entry Requirements

Complete an application for admission.
Satisfy the assessment requirement.
Attend any required information/registration session.
BIO 112 , BIO 113 and BIO 146 .
CHM 122 and CHM 132 OR CHM 165 and CHM 175 .

Graduation Requirements

To earn a Biotechnology Laboratory Methods certificate, a student must be accepted into the Biotechnology Laboratory Methods certificate program, complete all course work as prescribed and maintain a 2.0 grade point average.

Required Courses

Semester 1

MAT 157 - Statistics Credits: 4
BIO 186 - Microbiology Credits: 4

Semester 2

BIO 250 - Cell & Molec Bio-Nucleic Acids Credits: 5
BIO 251 - Cell & Molecular Bio-Proteins Credits: 5

Total Credits Required to Complete this Certificate - 18

Fixed Costs

Tuition……………………………………………………………………………………..$143.00 per credit

The costs for each program are estimates and subject to change.

Varied Costs

	Semester 1	Semester 2
Books (approximate)	190	280
Supplies	120	120

Approximate total for program: $3,284*

*Program entry requirements are not included in the total approximate cost.

What Kind of Work Will You Do?

Record, analyze, summarize and present data.
Properly use, calibrate and maintain laboratory equipment.
Prepare reagents and chemicals used in the laboratory.
Design and conduct basic laboratory experiments or processes.
Use current technology such as gel electrophoresis, chromatography, or protein and DNA analysis for research, manufacturing or quality control processes.

What Skills and Abilities Will You Need?

Critical thinking and problem-solving.
Good interpersonal skills.
Ability to work effectively in groups or teams.
Effective oral and written communication skills.
Accuracy and attention to detail.
A good understanding of concepts of biology, chemistry, math and computers.
Self-motivation and ability to complete projects on time.

What Else Should I Consider about this Program or Career Choice?

This is a competitive and rapidly changing field. You need to continually learn new things and to keep your skills up to date.
This field requires attention to detail and an ability to recognize and solve problems.
Some parts of the job can be very repetitive.
There is opportunity for advancement, but it will often require additional formal education in addition to demonstrated performance as described above.
This is a rapidly growing field with more than 1,000 biotech companies, academic institutions, state biotech centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations searching for students trained in biotechnology (iowabio.org).
Anticipated average starting salary $25,000-$38,000 depending on industry and position. Benefits often include: training, healthcare, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, competitive pay, bonus programs and retirement plans.

Nondiscrimination Policy

Des Moines Area Community College shall not engage in or allow discrimination covered by law. This includes harassment based on race, color, national origin, creed, religion, sex (including pregnancy and marital status), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability and genetic information. Veteran status in educational programs, activities, employment practices, or admission procedures is also included to the extent covered by law. Individuals who believe they have been discriminated against may file a complaint through the College Discrimination Complaint Procedure. Complaint forms may be obtained from the Campus Provost’s office, the Academic Deans’ office, the Judicial Officer, or the EEO/AA Officer, Human Resources. For information about the ADA, the Section 504/ADA Coordinator can be contacted at 515-964-6857. For Title IX questions and concerns contact 515-964-6850.