“Almost everybody is enthusiastic about the promise of biotechnology to cure disease and to relieve suffering”. - Leon Kass
Bio – Technologists are scientists that study the use of living systems and organisms to make products that can be useful to mankind. They study the different ways to modify other living organisms as per human requirements. The age old process of using manures to make soil fertile for improved crop yield and vaccines to prevent the spread of diseases are examples of the use of biotechnology in their simplest form.
Since ancient times, Bio – Technology has been used in one form or the other to help humans live a better life. Today, the opportunities in the field of Bio – Technology are huge due to the recent improvements in technology and equipment that have facilitated this area of science to scale new heights. From the use of biofuels as a clean source of energy to finding cures for the most dreaded diseases, biotechnology today promises a lot. It’s for this reason that it is seen as a promising futuristic career option.
Since it’s a research career expect to study till the master’s and doctoral levels to make yourself employable. It’s important to find out where your future employers are likely to be located and to move to living and studying close to them. Even though biotechnology companies are on the rise in India you may have to relocate outside India to find the best opportunities for research and employment.
What do Bio – Technologists do?
Bio – Technologists find ways to use other living organisms so that they can prove useful to the human race. They conduct experiments and come up with theories that help in their research.
They create new and useful products - in the form of medical products such as vaccines or industry related products such as detergents.
She/he comes up with theories and writes research papers that are published in journals. This helps him/her know the opinion of other Bio – Technologists.
Another one of the main jobs of a Bio – Technologist is to study genetic, chemical and physical attributes of cells, tissues and organs of living organisms. This research is used to create new products and methods.
Bio – Technologists constantly work on technical processes like ‘Genetic Modification’ and ‘Stem Cell Research’. These processes aim to come up with path – breaking ways to genetically modify living organisms and remove the possibility of diseases like Cancer and AIDS.
Bio – Technologists attend a lot of seminars and conferences. This helps them network and also stay in touch with the developments in the field of Bio – Technology. This is important because Bio – Technology is a dynamic field that is changing very quickly.
One of the main jobs of a Bio – Technologist is to conduct experiments on living organisms such as animals, plants, insects etc. in a controlled environment. These experiments help Bio – Technologists test their theories.
How to become a Bio – Technologist?
At school, it is absolutely necessary to be good in Biology but one should also have a fair knowledge of Math, Physics and Chemistry.
At the College level, one should complete his/her graduation in Bio – Technology or related fields such as Zoology, Botany etc. After completing your college, it is advisable to do your Master’s in Bio – Technology as well. This will help you to develop a greater and detailed understanding of the subject.
Although it is not necessary, a PhD in areas of Bio – Technology can greatly boost your chances of becoming a successful Bio – Technologist. Once you’ve completed your Doctorate, you can take up Post – Doctoral jobs at Universities if you want to do independent research.
You can also apply for jobs in Bio – Technology companies that have laboratories and a team of Bio – Technologists. This will help you gain industry experience and exposure of working with other Bio – Technologists.
To become a Bio – Technologist, it is important to possess good writing skills. These are important because you need to publish research papers and apply for grants. In both these areas, good writing skills can be a major help.
Another way of becoming a Bio – Technologist is to assist a Bio – Technologist in a laboratory as a junior. This will help you gain a lot of knowledge before you complete your PhD.
What are the skills required to become Bio – Technologist?
Bio – Technologists are highly skilled individuals that are academically very bright. As most of the times you’re working in a laboratory, you need to be careful and extremely attentive to avoid any mishap. Bio – Technologists need to know how to work in teams as most of the times there are several people working on a single project. They need to have a considerable knowledge of other fields as Bio – Technology is a multi –disciplinary field. As a Bio – Technologist, you need to possess basic lab skills and a desire to maintain safety at all times. Bio –Technologists need to care for research animals and plants and treat them with care and concern. Also, they need to have a strong desire to maintain quality above all costs and should check every raw material that goes into making the product. Bio –Technologists need to have good communication skills that can help them network and write good research papers. Most importantly, Bio – Technologists need to have a genuine love towards discovering the secrets of how living organisms work and interact.
Is this the right career for me?
Bio – Technology is an upcoming career that is developing at a fast pace. The life of Bio – Technologist is spent in laboratories conducting experiments and writing research papers. They need to be careful at all times to avoid accidents. Bio –Technologists work for long hours and usually research for a long time before making any significant contributions in the field of Bio – Technology.
So if you have a genuine desire to find out new ways to study and impact humans and other living organisms and if you’re willing to work for long hours daily before making any significant progress for the sake of the subject, then this is the perfect job for you.
