This college's Biotechnology Program, launched in 1994, is the only 2-year degree program in the state of Ohio. Biotechnology prepares majors for employment in this rapidly expanding leading-edge technology. In addition to intensive lecture/lab courses, majors are required to conduct a capstone research project and to participate in the college's nationally recognized co-op program. Graduates earn an Associate of Applied Science degree that transfers to 4-year degree programs. For nonmajors in the Associate of Science (AS) transfer program, the Biotechnology sequence fulfills the sophomore-level science component. The program is advised by a partnership committee of industry and research laboratory scientists. This project improves undergraduate instruction by enabling students in all five Biotechnology courses to work extensively with eukaryotic systems (yeast and insect cells), as well as with the traditional prokaryotic systems, across the range of biotechnology techniques. In addition, the project significantly expands student biotechnology lab experience with growth, maintenance, and storage of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; centrifugation; column chromatography (gel filtration, ion-exchange, affinity); and antibody-antigen interactions (ELISA). The Biotechnology improvements can annually affect 40 majors, 50 A.S. students, and 250 Health Sciences students (Microbiology and Immunology courses). The project can also generate SEM pipeline workshops for 11-12 graders (100/year) and teachers (50/year) and awareness for 7-12 graders (160/year).
