Biotechnology

BTEC 110: Basic Techniques in Biotechnology

Units: 4
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: Eligibility for ENGL 100 as evidenced by successful completion of ENGL 803 or qualification through the English Assessment Examination; and MATH 101 or MATH 101B or qualification through the Math Competency Exam or approved equivalent; and CHEM 108; and BIO 100 or BIO 101 or BIO 105.
Lecture 2 hours, laboratory 6 hours. (0430.00)

This course focuses on the basic laboratory skills needed for employment in the bioscience/biotechnology industry. Students learn laboratory safety and documentation while acquiring skills in the maintenance and calibration of basic lab equipment, calculation and preparation of lab solutions and media, and routine handling of both bacterial and mammalian cell cultures (tissue culture). Students also develop fundamental skills in spectroscopy, centrifugation, performance of assays, gel electrophoresis, and the purification and handling of biological molecules, such as proteins and DNA.

BTEC 120: Business and Regulatory Practices in Biotechnology

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Lecture 3 hours. (0430.00)

This course examines basic business principles and manufacturing procedures designed to assure the quality and safety of the product as the manufacturing team moves that product down the biotechnology production pipeline. It explores the role of governmental oversight and regulation during the discovery, development, and manufacture of new products produced by biotechnology.

BTEC 180: Biostatistics

Units: 4
Prerequisites: MATH 101 or MATH 101B with a grade of C or better or qualification through the Math Competency Exam or approved equivalent.
Advisory: BIO 100 or BIO 101.
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit in BTEC 180, BIO 180, PSYC 104 or SOC 104.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC Credit limitation
Lecture 3 hours, laboratory 3 hours. (0430.00)

This introductory statistics course covers the principles and practice of statistical design and analysis for scientific experimentation. Topics include hypothesis formation, experimental design and execution, data analysis, and communication with application to scientific fields, such as the biological and health sciences. The course includes laboratory application with extensive use of computer software for statistical analysis and simulation. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit for BIO/BTEC 180, MATH 103, or PSYC/SOC 104.

BTEC 201: Advanced Cell Culture

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110
Lecture 0.75 hour, laboratory 0.75 hour. (0430.00)

This advanced course teaches skills in the proper handling of cells from higher organisms, such as plants, mammals, and insects, that are routinely maintained in culture in the biotechnology laboratory. Instruction focuses on growth and manipulation techniques and long-term maintenance of various laboratory cell cultures that may include anchorage-dependent and suspension cell lines as well as stem cell cultures.

BTEC 202: Isolation and Purification of DNA

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110.
Lecture 0.75 hour, laboratory 0.75 hour. (0430.00)

This advanced biotechnology course provides skills in the routine isolation of genomic and plasmid DNA from cells. Students gain a greater understanding of the physical properties of DNA by direct experience in techniques related to DNA isolation, purification, and quantification commonly used in the biotechnology laboratory.

BTEC 203: Techniques in DNA Amplification

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110.
Lecture 0.75 hour, laboratory 0.75 hour. (0430.00)

This advanced course is designed to provide skills in the performance of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a technique commonly used to amplify DNA in forensics and the biotechnology laboratory. Instruction will focus on understanding the process; potential applications of DNA amplification; and the skills related to the set up, performance, and evaluation of the outcome of the technique. The course assumes prior knowledge of solution preparation and gel electrophoresis.

BTEC 204: Recombinant DNA

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110.
Lecture 0.75 hour, laboratory 0.75 hour. (0430.00)

This advanced course provides skills in recombinant DNA technology used to analyze and manipulate DNA in the biotechnology laboratory. Students learn about the process of cloning DNA and acquire the skills necessary to cut, piece together, and introduce new DNA molecules into prepared host bacterial cells.

BTEC 206: Principles of Separation and HPLC

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110.
Lecture 0.75 hour, laboratory 0.75 hour. (0430.00)

This advanced module provides skills in the separation of biomolecules from complex mixtures using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HLPC). Instruction will focus on understanding the principles of separation, acquiring skills in the separation of various biomolecules, and analyzing the outcome for the purpose of determining system performance and biomolecular purification. The course assumes prior knowledge of solution preparation, assays, and spectroscopy.

BTEC 207: Techniques in Immunochemistry and ELISA

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110.
Lecture 0.75 hour, laboratory 0.75 hour. (0430.00)

This advanced course provides skills in the use of antibody reagents as a tool in the biotechnology laboratory. It focuses on the nature and specificity of antibody reagents for the identification and quantification of biological molecules. Students learn how to set up, perform, and analyze techniques utilizing antibodies, such as Westerns and ELISAs.

BTEC 210: Data Analysis with Excel

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: Working knowledge of desktop computing.
Lecture 1 hour. (0430.00)

This course teaches how modern spreadsheet programs can be used to collect and organize data for subsequent tabulation, summarization, and graphical display. This course will utilize various forms of scientific data to teach the techniques and skill that facilitate the capture, analysis, and management of data. Topics covered include importing and organizing data, filtering and sorting, graphing, and statistical analysis functions.

BTEC 211: Technical Writing for Regulated Environments

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: Eligibility for ENGL 100 as evidenced by successful completion of ENGL 803 or qualification through the English Assessment Examination.
Lecture 1 hour. (0430.00)

This course will provide the requisite tools to understand why technical writing exists and how that writing works in conjunction with the many types of documents that exist in regulated environments. Further, the course develops the tools you need to deliver clear and complete passages with precise language. Best practices for technical writing will be applied to a variety of documents including reports, standard operating procedures (SOP), and investigations.

BTEC 215: Qualification and Validation in Biotechnology

Units: 1.5
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110; BTEC 120; Eligibility for ENGL 100.
Lecture 1 hour, laboratory 1.50 hours. (0430.00)

This course will provide an overview and practical execution of how to meet FDA and quality system expectations regarding qualification and validation in biotechnology. The course covers the validation lifecycle and equipment, assay, and process validation methodologies. Documentation will be developed to support the validation activities, including change control and handling deviations, within the scope of a functional biotechnology laboratory.

BTEC 221: Bioprocessing: Cell Culture and Scale-up

Units: 1.5
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110; BTEC 120; Eligibility for ENGL 100 as evidenced by successful completion of ENGL 803 or qualification through the English Assessment Examination.
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with credit in BTEC 220.
Lecture 0.75 hour, laboratory 2.25 hours. (0430.00)

This laboratory course develops the skills and knowledge related to the culture of cells in increasingly larger scales for the production of biological molecules. Students will grow and monitor a variety of cells (bacterial, yeast, and/or mammalian) on a laboratory scale that emulates the large-scale production used in industry. Students will become familiar with the cleaning, sterilization, aseptic inoculation, operation, and monitoring of fermenters and bioreactors. The course emphasizes the use of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), process control strategies, and students gain experience following Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

BTEC 222: Bioprocessing: Large Scale Purification

Units: 1.5
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110; BTEC 120; Eligibility for ENGL 100 as evidenced by successful completion of ENGL 803 or qualification through the English Assessment Examination.
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with credit in BTEC 220.
Lecture 0.75 hour, laboratory 2.25 hours. (0430.00)

This laboratory course develops the skills and knowledge related to purification of biological molecules produced on a large scale. Students will utilize the most common types of separation equipment, including tangential flow filtration, centrifugation, and column chromatography. Students will become familiar with the cleaning, sanitization, calibration, operation, and monitoring of large scale purification equipment. The course emphasizes the use of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), process control strategies, and students gain experience following Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

BTEC 292: Internship Studies

Units: 0.5-3
Prerequisites: Complete 6 units at MCC prior to internship; permission of instructor and department chair required.
Corequisite: Must currently be enrolled in 3 units and complete 60 hours of non-paid or 75 hours of paid work per unit of credit.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
(0430.00)

Individualized study linking classroom learning to the workplace. Approval form must be signed by the instructor and the department chair before registration. (May be taken for a total of 12 units.)

BTEC 293: Topics in Biotechnology

Units: 1-3
Prerequisites: None
Repeatability Rule: Allow four completions in any combination of BTEC 293, BTEC 296.
Lecture 1 hour.
Lecture 2 hours.
Lecture 3 hours. (0430.00)

A study of relevant topics in the discipline not covered in the current selection of courses. Designed to meet special needs; content determined by participating faculty members in consultation with students and the community. Non-transfer topics only.

BTEC 296: Topics in Biotechnology

Units: 1-3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 1 hour.
Lecture 2 hours.
Lecture 3 hours. (0430.00)

A study of relevant topics in the discipline not covered in the current selection of courses. Designed to meet special needs; content determined by participating faculty members in consultation with students and the community.

BTEC 299: Cooperative Work Experience--Occupational

Units: 1-4
Prerequisites: None
Corequisite: Students must be employed in a position directly related to their declared major and must complete 75 hours of paid work or 60 hours of non-paid work per unit of credit.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
(0430.00)

For students whose work is directly related to their major. To participate in occupational cooperative work experience education, students must be employed in a position directly related to their declared major and undertake new or expanded responsibilities at their work site. Students must develop one learning objective for each unit of credit in which they enroll and they must complete 75 hours of paid work or 60 hours of non-paid work per unit of credit. A maximum of four units of occupational work experience may be earned each semester and a combined maximum of 16 units of occupational and general work experience may be earned during community college attendance and applied as electives toward graduation. Students may receive G.I. Bill benefits for work experience only if required for their specific program. (May be repeated three times.)