Biotechnology

Coordinator: Dr Alan Neale (School of Biological Sciences)

The discipline

Biotechnology is an exciting area in modern science that has great potential in the industrial, medical and agricultural sectors. Biotechnology includes practical applications of knowledge involving many biological processes and its strength at Monash is that it draws on advances in molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, chemical science/engineering, cell biology, immunology, pharmacology and other disciplines. A major in biotechnology reflecting all facets of this area includes units from various disciplines across faculties, departments and schools. Students achieve background for this discipline by completing the level one and two units listed in the ‘Sequence requirements’ outlined below.

Alternatively, this major can be taken as an undergraduate Diploma in Biotechnology (Research and Management) as a third science major by overloading concurrently with a degree course (for information about this diploma, see the ‘Outline of undergraduate courses’ section in this handbook).

Units offered

Level three

BCH3031 Advanced molecular biology: modern concepts and applications
BCH3062 Molecular bioinformatics
BTH3711 Food and industrial microbiology
BTH3722 Medical microbiology
BTH3732 Environmental microbiology
BTH3741 Medical aspects of cell biology
BTH3757 Molecular biology and biotechnology
CHE3171 Bioprocess technology
CHM3932 Medicinal chemistry
CHM3941 Synthesis 1: chemistry of bioactive compounds
GEN3040 Genomics and molecular genetics
GEN3051 Medical genetics and forensic biology
IMM3031 Molecular and cellular immunology
IMM3051 Principles of applied immunology
MIC3011 Molecular microbiology
MIC3041 Medical microbiology
SCI3090 Technology management for scientists
SCI3094 Technology management for scientists II
SCI3716 Laboratory and workplace management
a project unit from BCH3990, CHM3990, GEN3990, MIC3990, SCI3741.

Sequence requirements

Major sequence in biotechnology (48 points):

BIO1011 or BIO1722, and CHM1022, or CHM1742, and
MOL2011 and MOL2022, or BTH2741 and BTH3757, and
one of SCI3090, SCI3094, or SCI3716, and
three of CHE3132 , BCH3031, BCH3062, BCH3990, BTH3711, BTH3722, BTH3732, BTH3741, CHM3932, CHM3941, CHM3990, GEN3040, GEN3051, GEN3990, IMM3031, IMM3051, MIC3011, MIC3041, MIC3990, or SCI3741

In addition to these requirements, students completing a major sequence in biotechnology may need to complete additional prerequisite units at levels one and two. Students should check the individual unit entries in the back of this handbook when planning their selection of units.

Recommendations

Level three

It is highly recommended that students undertake one of BCH3990, CHM3990, GEN3990, MIC3990 or SCI3741 to provide practical experience working in a research environment.

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