From genetic manipulation to bio-fuel, biotechnology influences our lives in more ways than we can imagine. Having gained popularity after WW II with the birth of genetic engineering, biotechnology is now adapted in myriad industries, opening up great career options. In US alone, a total of 2,946 biotech businesses were recorded in 2019.
Find out more about career and jobs in biotechnology.
Table of contents:
Biotechnology covers various discipline includinggenetics, biochemistry, molecular biology. Simply put – biotechnology is the use of cellular and biomolecular processes to develop or create products/technology that will help improve our lives.
Here are few of the ways in which it has helped us:
- Reduce rates of infectious disease
- Create more precise tools for disease detection
- Cut greenhouse gas emissions by 52% or more by using biofuel
- Save (potentially) $4.1 billion annually by lowering the temperature for cleaning
- Produce foods free of allergens and toxins (like mycotoxin)
- Use of bio-tech crops that needs lesser application of pesticides
Biotechnology is broadly classified into four major categories, i.e.
- Green Biotechnology: Technology that deals with agricultural processes (crop production and agriculture)
- Red Biotechnology: Technology that deals with medical application (heath care)
- Blue Biotechnology: Technology thatdeals withaquatic and marine applications of biotechnology
- White Biotechnology: Technology that deals with industrial processes.
Industries
What about biotechnology as a career? From working in research lab to joining professional careers in the health sciences, there are countless career options. Let us look at few of it-
Career opportunities in biotechnology are available thanks to studies. To pursue a degree in biotechnology, here’s a list of some of the globally ranked universities offering a Master’s degree in biotechnology and/or related study.
University |
Country |
Harvard University |
The United States |
Stanford University |
The United States |
University of Chicago |
The United States |
Johns Hopkins University |
The United States |
ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology |
Switzerland |
Imperial College London |
The United Kingdom |
The University of Edinburgh |
The United Kingdom |
The University of Melbourne |
Australia |
University of Copenhagen |
Denmark |
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München |
Germany |
The University of British Columbia |
Canada |
Depending on your educational background and professional interests, you can choose the sub-field of biotechnology discussed. As Global Biotechnology Reagents Industry reports, the global market for biotechnology is set to reach US$106 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2020-2027. As the figures suggest, biotechnology will continue to be a great career option. Choosing this field now will ensure that you will be on the right side of the skills gap in a growing sector.
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