Biotechnology Engineering

Introduction

“Biotechnology Engineering” is an emerging discipline of engineering which is a combined education of engineering and biology for research & development.

In other logical words, Biotechnology = Biology + Technology

When we use the technology to understand, study, and research & development the Bio-organism, micro-organism, living cell functions and related subjects, we need to have a sound knowledge of technology and biology.

Biotechnology Engineering is the best course to equip a student for this field.

Biotechnology Engineering is a combination of engineering, chemistry, genetics, bio-chemistry and microbiology.

Biotechnology Engineering applies in the field of animal husbandry, agriculture, energy production and conservation, pollution control, disease research, eco-conservation, and research and development of medicines, vaccines, fertilizers and insecticides.

“Biotechnology Engineering is a part of engineering that involves the technology and biological science for development in the field of medical, agriculture, security and bio-research”.

The credit for the development of the “Antibiotics” goes to the biotechnology.

Brewing was the earlier application of the biotechnology. The great biologist Louis Pasteur had discovered the fermentation in 1857 and that was the first step in the field of biotechnology.

Course & Duration

Biotechnology Engineering is an emerging and demanding field of engineering & technology.

In the course curriculum of Biotechnology Engineering, the students will get to use the engineering expertise to solve the problems and analyses in medicine and biology, agriculture and research, and development of vaccines.

For doing Biotechnology Engineering, you need to have the mathematics, chemistry, biology in 10+2 standard.

After completion of UG degree the students are designated as the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Technology, depending on the University.

A bachelor degree usually covers the mathematics, biology, chemistry and computer.

You can choose the Biotechnology Engineering, once you have completed your 10 or 10+2 examination with mathematics and science.

The academic criterion of Biotechnology Engineering is divided into three courses/programmes as follows:

1. Diploma courses leading to the polytechnic diploma of 3 years duration. (after 10th or 12th)
2. UG courses leading to the B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) degree of 4 years duration. (after 12th)
3. PG courses leading to the M.Tech (Master of Technology) degree of 2 years duration. (after graduation)

Beside these, it is a growing discipline in research fields leading to the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degree.

For entering in PG (M.Tech/M.E/M.S) programme, B.Tech in Biotechnology Engineering is must.

India has the best environment to advantage the research programme in the field of Biotechnology Engineering due to various climatically conditions, long coastal line and largest biodiversity.

The subjects that are involved in biotechnology are Mathematics, Applied Sciences, Computer Applications, Engineering, Genetics and Agriculture.

Specialization (Sub-disciplines)

Biotechnology Engineering has expanded in various specializations as the following.

• Genetics
• Virology
• Ecology
• Immunology
• Biophysics
• Bio-statistics
• Fisheries
• Biochemistry
• Pharmacology
• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Animal Husbandry

Skills Required

• Problem Solving Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Communication Skills
• Team working skills

Admission

Students are admitted in undergraduate and postgraduate engineering courses in the field of biotechnology through entrance exam. The entrance exams are conducted at national level, state level and University level.

For admission to B.Tech/B.E. courses, you have to apply for JEE Main 2020 which is the national level entrance exam and conducted by CBSE. Admission into IITs & NITs is done through JEE Advanced 2020 which is the second stage of JEE Main. Besides this, the other popular entrance exams are AP EAMCET 2020, TS EAMCET 2020, VITEEE 2020, KCET 2020 and many more.

Those wishing to take admission in M.Tech/M.E. courses are required to apply for GATE 2020. It is the perfect gateway for admission to IITs and NITs for pursuing postgraduate engineering courses.

Jobs & Career

There is a big opportunity to get the highest paid and reputed job in the field of biotechnology engineering in India and abroad.

Biotechnology Engineering is the rapidly growing field. The demand of biotechnical experts has been growing nowadays. This field is a blend of many specializations. Those specializing in this field can easily seek jobs in private and government undertakings.

Various pharmaceutical companies, government & private research lab, analysis laboratories, agricultural research lab, clinical research bodies and various reputed and related organizations are hiring the Biotechnology engineers, at the current employment scenario.

The job titles of the Biotechnology Engineers:

• Lab Technician
• Research Scientist
• Teacher/Professor
• Research Associate
• Science Writer
• Biotechnologist
• Sales Representative
• Quality Control Officer

There is an opportunity to get a job in government sectors and in public & private sectors.

Here are some reputed firms which require the Biotechnology engineers whenever (Biotechnology Recruiters):

• Hindustan Lever Ltd
• Thapar Group
• Indo-American Hybrid seeds
• Biocon India Ltd
• IDPL
• India Vaccines Corporation
• Hindustan Antibiotics
• NCL
• Tata Engineering Research Institute

Salary

Yes. It is good if you are seeking for the higher degree as M.Tech or MS or PhD in one of the specializations of biotechnology engineering.

A fresher graduate can earn the initial package of 2.5 lakh per annum. After getting the experience of two or more years, he can get the double or multiple of it.

In abroad, you can get the average of salary as $100000 per annum.

 

Career In Microbiology

Microbiology has generated a lot of buzz from the past few years leading to a rush in the number of students who are looking to pursue this field as a career.

Microorganisms – are those organisms which are very small can’t be seen with the naked eyes like bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Is simple words, microbiology is a broad discipline of biology with works with the function, structure, uses, and the existence of the microscopic organism.

You can also see the example of bacteria in “Yogurt”. Bacterial cell helps the milk to change into yogurt using fermentation process.

Microbiology overlaps the various other degree areas of biology like as molecular biology, genetics & immunology.

The scope of Microbiology is huge because of the involvement of microbiology in various fields such as Pharmacy, Medicine, clinical research, agriculture, dairy industry, water industry, nanotechnology & chemical technology.

Who are Microbiologists?

A person who specializes in this field is called as “Microbiologists”.

Microbiologists are the scientists, those study organisms & infectious agents which cannot be seen with the unprotected eye.

They study the interactions of microorganisms with other organisms & humans, which exist & affect our lives.

The role of Microbiologists is to ensure our food is safe or not, developing green technologies, treating and preventing disease or tracking the role of microbes in the climate change.

Microbiologists work in many different job areas, in a variety of different job roles. Microbiologists can make careers in research and non-research fields.

How did it all begin?

A famous German biologist “Louis Pasteur” is one of the founders of microbiology. He performed various tests to discover why wine and dairy products become sour.

Courses & Duration

Thinking about to pursue courses in this field?

There are many bachelors, masters and Ph.D. courses are available to pursue in this field. Students can start the courses from bachelor level to doctoral courses. Here are some most sought courses in this field:

Bachelor Courses:

Below is the list of courses that one can pursue in the field of microbiology. The duration of these courses is three years.

• Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
• Bachelor of Science in Applied Microbiology
• Bachelor of Science in Industrial Microbiology
• Bachelor of Science in Food Technology
• Bachelor of Science in Clinical Microbiology

Master Courses:

The master courses in this field are of two years:

• Master of Science in Microbiology
• Master of Science in Applied Microbiology
• Master of Science in Medical Microbiology
• Master of Science in Microbial Genetics and Bioinformatics

Specializations in Microbiology

• Agricultural Microbiology
• Industrial Microbiology
• Evolutionary Microbiology
• Nano Microbiology
• Cellular Microbiology
• Soil Microbiology
• Veterinary Microbiology
• Generation Microbiology
• Microbial
• Water Microbiology
• Pharmaceutical Microbiology
• Microbial Genetics
• Environmental Microbiology

Eligibility & Admission

You can take admission in bachelor courses after passing your 12^th class with PCB subjects. Some colleges consider 50% marks in PCB subjects.

For admission to PG courses, it is necessary to hold a bachelors degree (B.Sc.) in the related field. Some universities organize their own entrance exams for screening candidates for admissions. Candidates can appear in NEET PG 2020, AIIMS PG 2020 and JIPMER PG 2020 for microbiology courses.

Best colleges to pursue Microbiology are:

• Amity University
• Bharath University, Chennai
• Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya
• Jiwaji University, Faculty of Sciences & Faculty of Life Sciences
• Delhi University
• Christian Medical College, Vellore

Skills Required for a Microbiologist:

• Clear and logical thinking
• Good problem-solving skills
• Team leadership ability
• Good writing and communication skills
• Excellent level of accuracy
• Ability to work with statistics and relevant computer packages.

Career Scope

“Job outlook for Microbiologist is positive.”

At present, the scientific, analytical and problem-solving skills developed by microbiology graduates are high in demand by employers.

There are various options available to you after studying for a Microbiology degree.

You can choose to stay in education & do a master degree or Ph.D. in microbiology.  Whether you can decide to enter the job market after graduation degree.

You can work in both governments as well as in private sectors. Microbiologists are mostly demanded in the UK, US, France, Australia, and Germany.

With a degree in microbiology, you can get opportunities in various fields like healthcare organizations, forensic science laboratories, environmental organizations, higher education institutions, food and drink, publicly funded research organizations, pharmaceuticals and many other industries.

In the medicine and healthcare field, your work is usually associated with prevention & treatment of illnesses linked with microbes.

Various universities & Institutions employ microbiologists as teachers & researchers.

Job Profiles:

• Research Assistant
• Food, Industrial or Environmental Microbiologists
• Quality Assurance Technologists
• Sales or Technical Representative
• Clinical and Veterinary Microbiologists
• Medical Technologists
• Biomedical Scientist
• Clinical Research Associate
• Microbiologist
• Pharmacologist
• Food Technologist
• Scientific Laboratory Technician
• Physician Associate
• Research Scientist (life sciences)

Employment Areas:

• Pharmaceutical Industries
• Universities
• Laboratories
• Private Hospitals
• Research Organizations
• Environmental Agencies
• Food Industry
• Beverage Industry
• Chemical Industries
• Agriculture Department

Top recruiter of Microbiology graduates are:

• Mascot International
• Siron Technology Pvt. Ltd.
• Alpha Pharma Healthcare India Private Limited
• Krauter Healthcare Limited
• The Indian Hotels Company Limited
• Lakshmi Life Sciences Ltd.

Salary

How much a Microbiology degree holder earns?

In India, the average salary of a Microbiologist is between 2 to 3 lakhs per year.

If you are working with the government or private organizations, you will get handsome salary along with the perks & other benefits.

An experienced Microbiologist with masters or Ph.D. degree can get a very good salary package in both sectors.

Salary will also depend on several factors like organization, sector, job profile, location, etc. Experience matters a lot in this field. Work experience helps you to give an opportunity to find out a particular job which suited to you. In this field higher salary package offered to experienced microbiologist.