Decoding of the human genetic map is being
acknowledged as the greatest technological feat of the 21st century.
US president, Bill Clinton while hailing the discovery, was quoted
saying "Today, we are learning the language that allowed God to create
life”! The scientists working mainly in the area of Biotechnology and
its related fields made this scientific feat attainable
Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary science including not only
biology, but also subjects like mathematics, physics, chemistry and
engineering. It is a blend of various technologies applied together to
living cells for production of a particular product or for improving
upon it. Its use and application ranges from fields like agriculture to
industry (food, pharmaceutical, chemical, bioproducts, textiles etc.),
medicine, nutrition, environmental conservation, animal sciences etc.
making it one of the fastest growing fields. The work is generally
carried out in the laboratories, as it is a scientific research oriented
field.
The nature of work of biotechnologists, being interdisciplinary,
requires working together of people from different fields such as
genetics, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, molecular
biology, immunology, engineering, food science, agriculture etc. Some of
the fields where biotechnology studies are applicable are as follows.
MEDICINE AND HEALTH CARE: Biotechnology's application in this area has
helped in the development of various medicines, vaccines and
diagnostics. The remarkable development work carried out by
biotechnologists in this field has led to improvement in the methods of
diagnosis, medicines and vaccinations for diseases which once thought
were incurable are no more a cause of worry, which has been a blessing
for humankind.
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: Both the government and the private
sector employ biotechnologists. They conduct research and development
work, for increasing productivity, improving energy production and
conservation, minimizing pollution and industrial waste etc.
Biotechnologists also find opportunities at places involving activities
like chemical processes, genetic engineering, textile development,
cosmetic development etc..
AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY: Bangladshi economy is very much
dependent on agriculture and biotechnologists have made major
advancements in this area. Over the years, the agricultural output has
been improving, owing to the improvements in the quality of seeds,
insecticides and fertilizers. The latest technologies like micro
propagation and tissue culture has further helped agriculturists to
overcome problems like soil imbalances, genetic breeding and crop
diseases. Biotechnologists are also encouraging a shift from chemically
prepared fertilizers and insecticides to biochemicals and
bioinsecticides.
Biotechnology's intervention in the area of animal husbandry has
improved animal breeding. Numerous kinds of genetically engineered, high
yielding animal breeds have come up which has increased the output of
dairy products as well as the meat products. India has in fact, become
the largest milk producer in the world
ENVIRONMENT: Environmental biotechnology has become another area of
extensive work due to the dangers brought about by increasing levels of
environmental pollution. A lot of hard work is being done to protect our
environment. In this field, the job of a biotechnologist spans from
checking industrial air pollution levels, treatment of industrial waste
to recycling of sewage sludge.
Personality
As the work is largely related to scientific research. It becomes quite
important to have a good academic background in science. Hard work and
high level of intelligence with a scientific bent of mind,
determination, perseverance, imagination, innovative attitude, ability
to work for long hours, originality, team spirit are some important
essentials for becoming a successful biotechnologist.
Being an interdisciplinary subject with diverse areas of study,
biotechnological procedures apply themselves to a wide range of fields
allowing students from different backgrounds and interests to specialize
in fields of their choice. Some of the fields of specialization are
Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Botany,
Zoology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Horticulture, TissueCulture,
AgriculturalEngineering, Animal Sciences, Dairy Technology, Fisheries,
Medicine,Life Sciences, and Genetics
In recent times, biotechnology as a subject has grown rapidly. And as
far as employment is concerned, it has become the second fastest growing
sector after multi-media. Candidates with postgraduate degree in
biotechnology get absorbed in corporate and government sector,
pharmaceutical companies, chemical industries, bio-processing
industries, agriculture related industries and pollution control
activities of the major industries etc. They can even join government
and corporate run research and development organizations. On the whole
making it a good career opportunity for the bright young people.
Genentech. Bio-Rad. Amgen. These company names aren't as familiar to you
as Ford or Kellogg's, but they may soon be. They represent some of the
industry leaders in the booming biotechnology field. For all the budding
research scientists out there, they also represent one of the most
rewarding career paths.
Working for a biotechnology company allows employees to work with the
latest technological advances to find, create, and market products that
can help cure diseases, make people more healthy, or assist other
biotechnology companies with their research process. These companies
aren't the place for someone interested in musty academia, or spending
decades researching esoteric topics. These are jobs on the cutting edge
of science and health, in companies that are making the news for
creating products that are making us healthier as a nation.
Specifically, biotechnology uses both living cells and cell-produced
materials to create pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and other products. It
can also involve the altering of genetic information in animals and
plants in ways that improve their usefulness to society.
Whether you are seeking a job in academia, government, or
industry, the Internet can be your ally. On the Web, you can locate
job advertisements, learn about the company or the university,
instantly contact the employer, and forward your resume. There are
websites devoted to careers in biotechnology with a searchable
database of jobs where you can also post your resume, subscribe
to a `job alert' notification, learn how to craft a winning resume,
network with other career seekers to share ideas and experiences,
and read helpful articles on career search strategies and interview
skills. The Internet also abounds with information for aspiring
graduate students and postdocs on fellowship opportunities across
various institutions and details on research interests of potential
advisors.
Biotechnology job information can be found on various Internet
sites sponsored by scientific journals, professional societies,
federal agencies, companies, newsgroups, and of course,
dedicated career sites. Science magazine (http://www.sciencemag.org)
and the American Society of
Plant Physiology (http://aspp.org) sites
have the most job and
assistantship listings in agricultural biotechnology. Sites devoted to
biotechnology careers such as Biocareer
(http://www.biocareer.com) or
Medzilla (http://www.medzilla.com)
are
dominated by biomedical-related jobs, but nevertheless have very
helpful articles on job hunting, resume tips, interactive advice
columns, and useful links. An insider tip to those seeking graduate
assistantships and postdocs: locate the list of scientists who have
recently received grants along with their project summary at
funding agencies including the USDA (http://www.reeusda.gov/nri/)
and NSF (http://www.nsf.gov) and
contact the scientists directly.
You can easily obtain the email addresses of funded scientists at
their university home pages or through people search engines
such as Yahoo (http://people.yahoo.com/)
or Switchboard
(http://www.switchboard.com).
Newsgroups such as Arabidopsis and Plant Tissue Culture also
post job announcements
Below are some additional sites that are useful for job searching in
biotechnology:
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