Biotechnology

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Meet the Instructors

Kimberly Stencel, LT

KStencel@assabet.org

Kendra Sparks

kSparks@assabet.org

Program & Course Information

Students observe and learn about a variety of careers involved with biotechnology, from engineering to manufacturing to animal science. Examples of field trips taken to explore career opportunities in biotechnology include Shire Pharmaceuticals, Tufts Cummings Veterinary School, Worcester State University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Ariad Pharmaceuticals, and the Massachusetts State Crime Lab.

Upperclassmen in biotechnology participate in student-driven projects that are presented in a shop-wide science fair. These projects may go on to compete at the Worcester Regional Science & Engineering Fair and the Massachusetts State Science & Engineering Fair. The Biotechnology Program also participates in the Wolbachia project, which examines the Wolbachia bacteria living within some local insects.

Core Topics:

- Laboratory Safety
- Microscopy
- Forensic Analysis Techniques
- Protein Separation and Purification
- Protein and Enzyme Assays
- Protein & DNA Electrophoresis
- Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays
- Microbiology
- Bacterial Transformation
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Plant Cell Culture
- Fermentation & Good Manufacturing Practices
- Steps to Drug Development
- Solution/Media Prep
- Data Analysis using Microsoft Excel
- Aseptic Technique
- Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician Training

Certifications:

Students in this program complete the Assistant Lab Animal Technician (ALAT) training. The requirements for the ALAT certification are a year of practical experience working in a lab animal care facility and passing an exam. The school offers training materials and completion of the workbooks, and then students, upon graduation, can pursue and finish this certification. Please see the AALAS link to the American Association of Lab Animal Science for more information on this career path.

Additional certifications offered in this vocational program include the OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Certification & CPR.

After Assabet:

Career opportunities upon completion of the program include, but are not limited to:

Research Laboratory Assistant
Purification Technician
Fermentation Technician
Media Prep Technician
Manufacturing Assistant
Laboratory Animal Care Technician

Upon completion of this technical program, students will be better prepared for post secondary education in the following courses of study:

Animal Science
Biotechnology
Biology (Prevet)
Biochemistry
Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Environmental Engineering
Forensic Science
Genetics
Microbiology

Resources, Files & Links for Students

PAGE CONTACTs & Resources

Gayle Ripley, Vocational Office Administrative Assistant
GRipley@assabet.org

HIGHLIGHTS

Biotechnology is a growing field with a wide range of exciting and challenging employment opportunities. Biotechnology is the commercialization of biology. It is an evolving discipline in which biological organisms are used to improve the lives of people and animals.

The Biotechnology program is designed to prepare students for further education as well as for entry-level positions in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, research and development, laboratory animal care, environmental science, and forensic science. Students will engage in precise technical activities, maintain careful records, and work in teams in an orderly, clean environment.