Which courses to choose?

Biotech, Biomedical, Biochemistry

Biotech:

Biotechnology seems to be leading a sudden new biological revolution. It has brought us to the brink of a world of "engineered" products that are based in the natural world rather than on chemical and industrial processes. The concept encompasses a wider range and history of procedures for modifying living organisms according to human purposes, going back to domestication of animals, cultivation of plants and "improvements" to these through breeding programs that employ artificial selection and hybridization.
Biotechnology is the science for this century. With its advances, we are on the first part of a great journey. Humans have expanded their understanding of the biosphere by journeying into space and exploring the depths of the ocean. We have not only been able to look at the surrounding universe and the depths below with the advancement of tools and techniques, but we also have been able to live there. The advancement tools and techniques is now allowing us to look at the universe of atoms. Biotechnology is utilizing the sciences of biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, computers, and information technology to develop tools and products that hold great promise and concern. Humans have always been "manipulating" organisms to their advantage, but now we are able to manipulate life and materials at the atomic level through nanotechnology.

The two schools of thought about what biotechnology is can elicit much debate. Both use organisms to help man. Whereas modern biotechnology manipulates the genes of organisms and inserts them into other organisms to acquire the desired trait, traditional biotechnology uses the processes of organisms, such as fermentation.

A common misconception among teachers is the thought that biotechnology includes only DNA and genetic engineering. To keep students abreast of current knowledge, teachers sometimes have emphasized the techniques of DNA science as the "end-and-all" of biotechnology. This trend has also led to a misunderstanding in the general population. Biotechnology is NOT new. Man has been manipulating living things to solve problems and improve his way of life for millennia. Early agriculture concentrated on producing food. Plants and animals were selectively bred, and microorganisms were used to make food items such as beverages, cheese, and bread.

how to PURSUE A BIOTECH CAREER
The biotechnology industry is constantly growing; during the past 10 years the number of employees has increased by more than 90 percent! If you enjoy science, math, technology, investigating and solving problems, and making useful products, a career in biotechnology may be for you. To begin to prepare for a career in biotechnology, here are several steps to consider that may be helpful.

EDUCATION
Education and training requirements for positions in the biotechnology industry vary greatly depending on the type of position, the size of the company, and the industry sector.
Historically, the biotechnology industry has needed intellectual talent at the master's degree and doctoral levels, but the growth of the industry has caused a shift in the types of workers needed to fill critical skill gaps. The education needed for scientific positions ranges from an Associate's Degree to a Doctoral degree, with many community colleges now offering curricula to train biotechnology technicians.
Additionally, there are many other occupations within biotechnology such as: quality control, quality assurance, information technology, human resources, facilities, and infrastructure maintenance and manufacturing.
While many positions in quality control and assurance, as well as information technology, human resources, and manufacturing do require four-year degrees, a significant and growing number of positions now require two-year degrees or less. Manufacturing positions for example, require only a high school degree and training.

BE WELL-ROUNDED
Most importantly, make sure to be well-rounded in all subject areas. Although scientific knowledge is important, people entering biotechnology careers need basic skills such as computer use, effective written and verbal communication, and math ability.

NETWORK AND STAY CONNECTED
Make contacts and network in the biotechnology field. Talk to professionals. Be familiar with state and national biotech organizations and professional groups. Gain experience in the industry through work-based learning opportunities such as internships, co-ops, work study, and job shadowing.

KEEP LEARNING
Be aware of developments in the field. Research on the web, and read newspapers, trade journals, and technical magazines.


Biomedical:

What is biomedical science?
Biomedical Science provides an opportunity to study the Human body in health and disease. Various levels of complexity from the whole body, organs, tissues, cells, genes and molecular interactions can be studied. Modern technologies allow various cellular and genetic mechanisms to be studied and analysed using computer modelling. This new era is allowing unprecedented discovery of mechanisms causing disease and new oportunites or approaches to improive human health.

From the day you were a newborn baby, a biomedical scientist will have carried out tests on your health. Anytime you have visited hospital when ill or had a sample taken from you by a doctor or nurse, these would have been analysed by a biomedical scientist without whom it would not be possible to diagnose illness and evaluate the effectiveness of the necessary treatment. Doctors treat their patients based on results of the vital tests and investigations that diagnose often serious and life threatening illnesses such as cancer, AIDS or diabetes. The successful performance of this key role in modern healthcare relies on the accuracy and efficiency of work by biomedical scientists because patients' lives and the treatment of illness depend on their skill and knowledge.

What career opportunities are there?
Biomedical science is a continually changing, dynamic profession with long-term career prospects including management, research, education and specialised laboratory work. Biomedical science represents an opportunity to put scientific knowledge into practical use and perform a key role within medical healthcare that offers career satisfaction for many in the profession. Biomedical scientists learn skills and gain qualifications that can be recognised worldwide.

A degree in Biomedical Science provides graduates with the knowledge and information to sit the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT) to seek entry into postgraduate medicine. Graduates from either the Bachelor of Biomedical Science or Bachelor of Science (Human Biology) may obtain employment as medical scientists in hospitals and private pathology laboratories, clinical physiologists in hospitals and in marketing/scientific reporting for biomedical/pharmaceutical companies. Graduates interested in research careers may obtain employment in biomedical research laboratories or progress to further studies such as Honours, Masters and Doctor of Philosophy degrees within Biomedical Research. After completion of the Bachelor of Biomedical Science or Bachelor of Science (Human Biology), students may enrol in further study to become science teachers.

Biochemistry:
Biochemistry is at the heart of life science. It is a fascinating, diverse and sprawling discipline; which makes it near impossible to pigeon-hole or define concisely. Many look upon biochemistry as a science that underpins and explains the essential processes of life, impacting on:
Biotechnology and bioinformatics
Cell biology and signalling
Development and disease
Energy and metabolism
Genetics
Molecular biology
Plant biology
Lubert Stryer, the famous biochemist and author of Biochemistry (W.H. Freeman & Co.), states that biochemistry is “rapidly progressing from a science performed almost entirely at the laboratory bench to one that may be explored through computers. Its practical approach applies the molecular aspects of chemistry to the vast variety of biological systems."

Biochemists:
Provide new ideas and experiments, essential for understanding how life works
Support our understanding of health and disease
Drive the discovery of new ways to use molecular systems and their biological functions
Contribute essential innovative information to the technology revolution
Biochemists have high-value jobs that influence work in:

Hospitals, university research departments, agriculture, food institutes, education, scientific law, cosmetic industries, forensic crime research, industrial laboratories, drug manufacturing, biotechnology, publishing, sales and marketing, government administration, science writing and many more…