The societal impact of the genetic engineering revolution is only beginning to be felt in the marketplace, and most molecular biologists will agree that the biotechnology industry is only in its infancy. Due to the need for substantial investment of venture capital for research and development of new products, and the long time and additional capital required to bring a product to market, many new companies have struggled and remained small. Many also have folded or been acquired by larger companies. However, as more products are approved by federal regulatory agencies and begin to yield profits for the companies involved, it is likely that this industry will mature and expand significantly to provide excellent opportunities for students with training in the biological sciences and chemistry. Industries that are especially large and active developers of biotechnology include the pharmaceutical industry, food and natural products processing industries and agricultural (plant and animal) industries.
Degree requirements
Students with B.S. (or A.B.) and M.S. degrees can find numerous positions in which they do hands-on work at the lab bench. Such work may involve research and development, production or quality-control testing. Students interested in helping formulate company policy, helping choose company research directions or running a research project involving multiple scientists are likely to need a Ph.D. Some companies will subsidize (or pay for entirely) additional education for employees with B.S. degrees who wish to obtain an M.S. (or M.A.) degree at a nearby university.
Course work and laboratory experience
Students interested in biotechnology should develop a strong background
in areas including genetics, molecular genetics, cell biology, biochemistry,
and microbiology. These fields are mostly represented within Area 1 of the
advanced courses for the Biology major. However, two other courses that
are particularly relevant are the Laboratory of DNA Manipulation (Bio 437)
and Plant Biology and Genetic Engineering (Bio 3041). In addition, interested
students should gain as much real-life laboratory experience as possible,
earning Bio 200 and Bio 500 credits while pursuing an independent research
project in a lab that uses the techniques of molecular biology. There are
approximately 300 laboratories on the Hilltop and Medical School campuses
that together comprise the Departments of the Division of Biology and Biomedical
Sciences. The vast majority of these labs utilize the general tools of molecular
biology while applying these tools to investigate a variety of biological
processes and phenomena. It must be emphasized that with the tools of molecular
biology (DNA, RNA and protein purification and analyses, DNA cloning, DNA
sequencing, etc.) one can study a variety of problems in virtually any organism.
Therefore, it is not as important to work on any one research problem as
it is to gain basic training in the tools of the trade. Molecular Biology
is both a science and a craft for which one must develop "good hands"
at the research bench. As in any trade that requires skill and creativity,
one develops "good hands" only through experience and practice.
The biotechnology industry, and graduate and medical schools, preferentially
accept students who develop these skills, can work independently with minimal
supervision, and can obtain strong letters of recommendation from their
research mentors.
Other sources of information
The campus Career Center, Career Information Days, advertisements in the back of journals such as Science, Nature, Cell, and local newspaper want ads are all good sources for current openings. In addition to the library and journals such as "Biotechnology," there are also sites on the internet that allow users to browse biotechnology information resources. A good starting point on the World Wide Web is The Biotechnology Information Center, (http://www.nal.usda.gov/bic/). Online job listings and career information are available at:
| http://www.chemcenter.org/profservices.html | http://www.nih.gov |
| http://cns.bio.com/bio.html | http://www.bms.com |
| http://www.faseb.org/default.html | http://www.lilly.com |
| http://www.phrma.org | http://www.gene.com |
| http://www.nextwave.org |
Supporting the scientific research endeavor is another industry in which students with a good background in biology and business can excel. This industry supplies equipment, supplies, and reagents to labs within the universities, hospitals, companies and government agencies in which scientific research is conducted. Many salespeople in this industry must meet one-on-one with laboratory managers to sell their products, and first-hand knowledge of the uses of, and scientific bases for, the products they sell is a strong advantage in this competitive area. Biology students may want to consider a minor in business or economics to position themselves to excel in this industry, either in sales or management.
Students specifically interested in management may be interested in the five-year joint-degree program in which they can earn an undergraduate degree and an M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) through the Olin School of Business. A desire to pursue this program should be indicated in the sophomore year, with formal application occurring in the junior year. See the Washington University Undergraduate Programs book for additional information.
The pharmaceutical industry is diverse, with opportunities in small biotech start-up companies as well as in the large well-established multi-national firms. The industry is focused on the development of diagnostics for the rapid accurate identification of individuals with various disease states caused by infectious disease agents, hereditary diseases or acquired progressive disease states, with the development of therapeutic regimens to treat these diseases and with the development of means to prevent disease, often by immunization regimens. The pharmaceutical industry is also involved in the design, development and evaluation of prosthetic devices. In the area of development of diagnostic reagents and processes, the disciplines of microbiology, infectious disease research, immunology and molecular biology are particularly useful. In terms of drug discovery, a background in organic and physical chemistry and computer science, especially with regard to drug receptor interaction modeling, is useful. Of course, if the drugs are biologics produced by microorganisms or plants, an expertise in microbiology and plant natural products becomes important. Much modern drug development requires gene cloning and expertise in molecular biology and genetics. Ultimately, because all drugs must be fully evaluated for teratologic and toxic activities in animals, animal-science training also becomes important. In the development of vaccines and immunization protocols, individuals require expertise in microbiology and infectious disease research, as well as in immunology, molecular biology, and molecular genetics. In the manufacture of vaccines one gets into chemical engineering, fermentation, and bioprocess technologies that rely heavily on engineering as well as industrial microbiology. The development of prosthetic devices relies heavily on knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, and requires considerable engineering skills. In evaluation of all products developed in the pharmaceutical industry, out of necessity one must conduct clinical studies and these studies involve appropriate veterinary and/or medical training, as well as familiarity with experimental design, statistical analysis, toxicology, etc. Attending to regulatory issues with governmental regulatory agencies requires more of a business background as does marketing. These activities all require additional background and skills, but can be based on biology and biomedical science disciplines. Several schools offer PharmD. degrees, but be aware that some programs specifically require a B.S. in pharmacy for admission to the PharmD. program. Information on schools of pharmacy can be obtained from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, 1426 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-2841 (phone: 703-739-2330; http://www.aacp.org).
Environmental engineers take the skills and tools of engineers and apply them to environmental problem-solving. Traditionally, environmental engineers have been involved in issues of water and air quality, although recent years have seen new areas emerge, such as bioremediation. Students at Washington University have a number of opportunities if they wish to become environmental engineers. One set of options, of course, is to pursue a background in engineering in the School of Engineering. There, a student can participate in an Environmental Resources program, the Environmental Engineering Science minor, or the Environmental Engineering Science option for a B.S. in Biological and Engineering Science. In addition, within the School of Arts & Sciences, the Environmental Studies major provides students with a good background. Students who major in biology can also do quite well in environmental engineering, particularly because new fields such as bioremediation require extensive knowledge of biology as well as engineering.
The most important skill a biology major can gain in preparation for a career in environmental engineering is a ready facility with mathematics. Students should consider taking Math 217 (Differential Equations) and perhaps also Math 233 (Calculus III) and/or Math 320 (Elementary Probability and Statistics). Other courses students might consider include Chem. Eng. 142 (Introduction to Chemical Engineering), where the important concepts of mass and energy balance are covered, Chem. Eng. 320 (Thermodynamics, also offered as Mech. Eng. 320), and Earth and Planetary Sciences 323 (Biogeochemistry). Within the biology major, students would want to be sure to take Microbiology (Bio 349) and Ecology (Bio 419).
For further information students may contact Dr. Maxine Lipeles (x5-5482; milepeles@seas.wustl.edu) or other faculty within the School of Engineering for environmental issues. In addition, students may contact the Air and Waste Management Association, either at its St. Louis Section (currently c/o David Shanks, Boeing Aircraft Co., Mail Code 1111099, P.O. Box 516, St. Louis, MO 63166) or its national headquarters (1 Gateway Center, 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222; phone: 412-232-3444; http://online.awma.org).
A related career that can combine engineering, math, and biology is Industrial Hygiene, a field involving recognition, evaluation and control of environmental factors in the workplace. For information, write to the American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2700 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 250, Fairfax, VA 22031; phone 703-849-8888; http://www.aiha.org.
According to a recent USDA National Report, the shrinking supply of graduates is the most critical force that will impact the agricultural human resource market through the 1990s. Current enrollment in higher education programs that produce graduates with expertise in food, agriculture, and natural-resource disciplines suggest further erosion of the number of graduates who will become available in the near future. Thus, a market demand for graduates specialized in agricultural sciences appears to be on the rise. Areas that will have a shortage in qualified graduates include forestry, horticulture/ornamental horticulture, agronomy/soils, animal sciences, and food science/food industry.
A successful career in agriculture is dependent on a solid training in biology. In addition to the basic requirements in the Biology Major, courses in plant biology (for example, Bio 3041, 308, 3091, 4021, 4022) should be taken. For students interested in animal science, additional courses in animal physiology and development are desirable (for example, Bio 311, 312, 328, 4011). See Peterson's Guide for a list of graduate programs in agriculture. Information on employment opportunities in agriculture is available from the USDA, Washington, D.C. 20250 http://www.udsa.gov