Molecular Biotechnology Program

Program Description

• Molecular biotechnology is the use of laboratory techniques to study and modify nucleic acids and proteins for applications in areas such as human and animal health, agriculture, and environment. Molecular biotechnology results from the convergence of many areas of research, such as molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, immunology, genetics, and cell biology. The tools of molecular biotechnology can be applied to develop and improve drugs, vaccines, therapies and diagnostic tests that will improve human and animal health. Molecular biotechnology has applications in plant and animal agriculture, aquaculture, chemical and textile manufacturing, forestry, and food processing. Every aspect of our lives in the coming decades will be affected by this dynamic field.

Advantages of the Program

• While technology generally aims to create tools to empower man, biotechnology aims to change man himself, to better fit him to the world. Simply put, biotechnology is the application of advances made in the biological sciences, especially involving the science of genetics and its application. Biotechnology has helped improve food quality, quantity and processing. It also has applications in manufacturing, where simple cells and proteins can be manipulated to produce chemicals. But biotechnology is most important for its implications in health and medicine.

Job Opportunities

• Research centers
• Pharmaceutical and vaccines companies
• Companies responsible for the development of agriculture and water purification
• Industrial companies producing chemicals, proteins, fibers and vitamins.
• Food inspection agencies
• Manufacture of biopharmaceuticals
• Genetic testing services