Biotechnology Research and Study Opportunities

Thousands of study and academic opportunities in Biotechnology are available internationally. Conferences and summer schools in Biotechnology are organized regularly in the best academic centers of the world. The majority of universities and many foundations also offer BA, MA, and Ph.D. programs in Biotechnology as wells as postdoctoral research grants, awards, and fellowships. Below you will find the updated list of international opportunities available in Biotechnology.

Scholarships in Biotechnology

Fellowships in Biotechnology

Biotechnology Associations and Networking Opportunities

Biotechnology Relevant Accounts on Twitter

What is Biotechnology About?

Biotechnology is a technology relying on biology, and I apologize for the word stuffing. That's the simplest and clearest definition of the discipline. By exploring and improving biomolecular processes, biotechnology contributes to the advancements of human life and our planet's health. 

Though biotechnology is not new as a discipline, its development has significantly accelerated with time. Within roughly the 6000 years of bioprocesses' examination, humanity experienced an intensive change of many life aspects, received solutions to many health and ecological issues, invented bread, dairy products, etc. 

The five main spheres currently influenced by biotechnology include:

  • Human
  • Environmental
  • Industrial
  • Animal
  • Plant

As a result, we are now more prepared against hunger and diseases; the production processes are organized with more correspondence to environmental safety, there are attempts to organize more energy-saving life processes, etc. 

To bring biotechnology definition closer to our daily lives, let me bring the examples of the most popular technological innovations you are probably familiar with.

  1. The combination of biotechnology and genetic engineering resulted in the invention of insulin, which made the life of diabetic patients significantly easier. 
  2. In the current Covid-19 pandemic, biotechnology is one of the frontline fighters, trying to decipher the virus's genome and analyzing our organism's protection reactions to it. 
  3. Thanks to bioremediation processes, the catabolic properties of microorganisms are used to recover contaminated ecosystems

The Main Types of Biotechnology

  • Red biotechnology develops vaccines and medications such as antibiotics, artificial organs, regenerative therapies, etc. 
  • Green biotechnology is concerned with the safety of agricultural goods and helps farmers protect and nurture crops against microorganisms, unfavorable weather conditions, etc.
  • White biotechnology works towards making industrial processes more efficient and sustainable, mainly with the help of biofuels. 
  • Yellow biotechnology focuses on food production, contributing to processes like reducing saturated fats in cooking oils. 
  • Blue biotechnology operates for creating cosmetics and health care products from marine resources and generally obtains biofuels from certain microalgae. 
  • Grey biotechnology has a direction towards the conservation and recovery of contaminated ecosystems. 
  • Gold biotechnology, which you may also meet under the term bioinformatics, gets, stores, and analyses biological information such as DNA and amino acid sequences. 

Biotechnology Studies and Career Applications

The detailed explanation of biotechnology and its mission should already answer your "Should I major in biotechnology?" question. 

Pursuing biotechnology in universities will educate you on biochemistry, genetics, gene identification, phylogenetics, bioinorganic chemistry, DNA sequencing, xenotransplantation, industrial microbiology, drug, and biologic development, etc. 

Accordingly, the biotechnology programs majority of universities provide will include the following courses:

  • Biochemistry
  • Ethics
  • Genetics
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics

In addition, you may also explore related courses such as Systematics, Evolution, Ecology, Population Biology, etc. 

The diversity of knowledge areas of the discipline limits the career applications wider for the biotechnology graduates. The latter may utilize their skills in various fields, mainly in:

  • Research and development
  • Quality assurance
  • Manufacturing
  • Clinical Research
  • Policymaking
  • Engineering
  • Business management
  • Project management

The common job positions you may occupy after completing the biotechnology major are biochemist, Medical scientist, Clinical technician, Business development manager, Director of a product strategy, etc. 

However, it's not completely risk-free.

It goes without saying that the human interaction with fragile spheres of health and ecology can't be completely free of human-made errors. While you sum up your reading on the discipline, note that Biotechnology studies and careers require the highest level of responsibility and detailed approach. 

Biotechnology's main risks are related to non-careful actions, which can damage the system biotechnologists are working with. The most common examples of such risks are damaging the ecosystem balance, unforeseen allergies, poisoning of living organisms, escape of the bacteria from the laboratories, etc.

By collecting the main Biotechnology academic opportunities in one source, we hope to help you construct a successful academic and career path and possibly avoid the mentioned risks.