Biotechnology

BTEC 110: Basic Techniques in Biotechnology

Units: 4
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: Eligibility for ENGL 100 as evidenced by successful completion of ENGL 50 or qualification through the English Assessment Examination; and MATH 64 or qualification through the Math Competency Exam or approved equivalent; and CHEM 108; and BIO 100 or BIO 101 or BIO 105.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 3 hours. (0430.00)

This course examines basic business principles and practices utilized in the discovery, development, and production phases of new product development. It explores the role of governmental oversight and regulation in assuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of a biotechnology product.

BTEC 180: Biostatistics

Units: 4
Prerequisites: MATH 64 or qualification through the Math Competency Exam or approved equivalent.
Advisory: BIO 100 or BIO 101.
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with 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 180/BTEC 180, MATH 103, or PSYC 104/SOC 104.

BTEC 201: Advanced Cell Culture

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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 203: Techniques in DNA Amplification

Units: 1
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: BTEC 110.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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 50 or qualification through the English Assessment Examination.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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 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 50 or qualification through the English Assessment Examination.
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with credit in BTEC 220.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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 50 or qualification through the English Assessment Examination.
Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with credit in BTEC 220.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
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 230: Techniques in Biofuels Production and Analysis

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

This advanced course introduces students to the rapidly developing field of renewable energy and, specifically, biofuels production through a combination of lecture and applied laboratory techniques. (Formerly BTEC 293-1.)

BTEC 292: Internship Studies

Units: 0.5-3
Prerequisites: None
Corequisite: Complete 75 hrs paid or 60 hrs non-paid work per unit.
Enrollment Limitation: Instructor, dept chair, and Career Center approval. May not enroll in any combination of cooperative work experience and/or internship studies concurrently.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU

This course provides students the opportunity to apply the theories and techniques of their discipline in an internship position in a professional setting under the instruction of a faculty-mentor and site supervisor. It introduces students to aspects of the roles and responsibilities of professionals employed in the field of study. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students must develop new learning objectives and/or intern at a new site upon each repetition. Students may not earn more than 16 units in any combination of cooperative work experience (general or occupational) and/or internship studies during community college attendance.

BTEC 296: Topics in Biotechnology

Units: 1-4
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 1 hour.
Lecture 2 hours.
Lecture 3 hours.
Lecture 4 hours. (0430.00)

This course gives students an opportunity to study topics in Biotechnology that are not included in regular course offerings. Each Topics course is announced, described, and given its own title and 296 number designation in the class schedule.

BTEC 299: Occupational Cooperative Work Experience

Units: 1-6
Prerequisites: None
Corequisite: Complete 75 hrs paid or 60 hrs non-paid work per unit.
Enrollment Limitation: Career Center approval. May not enroll in any combination of cooperative work experience and/or internship studies concurrently.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU

Cooperative Work Experience is intended for students who are employed in a job directly related to their major. It allows such students the opportunity to apply the theories and skills of their discipline to their position and to undertake new responsibilities and learn new skills at work. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students may not earn more than 16 units in any combination of cooperative work experience (general or occupational) and/or internship studies during community college attendance.