As a graduate of the two-year Biotechnology Program, you will be prepared to work safely and effectively in the laboratory with the ability to prepare solutions and media, use and maintain routine laboratory equipment and handle and store DNA, enzymes and chemicals. You will also learn advanced techniques such as agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, polymerase chain reaction, tissue culture, DNA purification and fingerprinting, Southern blotting, DNA cloning and sequencing, column chromatography methods, ELISA's, Western blotting, 2D PAGE, protein expression and purification and more!
Employment outlook is great, currently 100% of graduates have either continued their education after graduation or started working at full-time or part-time positions. Anticipated average starting salary is $30,000-$40,000/year (biotech-careers.org) with opportunities for advancement and most companies offer generous benefit packages as well.
Examples of companies that have hired program graduates include:
- BASF
- Biova
- Darling International
- Des Moines Waterworks
- Embra Health Sciences
- Heska - Diamond Animal Health
- Human Gene Therapy Research Institute
- Hygienic Lab - University of Iowa
- Iowa State University
- Kemin
- Marzetti Foods
- Monsanto
- New Link Genetics
- Pioneer Hi-Bred International
- Stine Seed
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
These companies and many others also provide internship opportunities for students to gain valuable work experience before graduation.