Putting Biotech to Work:

1. Putting Biotech to Work: Skillfully Incorporating Workplace Skills into the Classroom Marlena L. Jones, MS DCBiotech/CASE Carnegie Institution of Washington

2. From Classroom to Workplace • Students who might like to work in science jobs often are not motivated by traditional science teaching methods. • The transition from science student to science worker can be difficult without learned, practiced, practical workplace skills. • So, how does an overworked instructor add workplace skill training to the classroom?

3. Examples of Workplace Skills: • Intercommunication skills as students work in teams • Conflict resolution skills as team members discuss the organization of the lab activity • Resumé writing skills as students apply for internships • Punctuality • Appropriate attire • Appropriate behavior (including communication skills, use of phone/iPods/computers, what to do during “down time,” etc.) • Experimental plan and execution • Troubleshooting

4. National Bio-Link Center • National Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Center for Biotechnology that originated in late 1998 with NSF grant • Created to improve and expand educational programs that prepare skilled technicians to work in the high-tech fields that drive the U.S. economy. • Enhances and expands biotechnology education programs by providing cutting edge professional development for instructors, by improving curriculum, by making use of technologies and by creating a system that promotes the sharing of information • City College of San Francisco with office space at the University of California San Francisco • Regional Bio-Link Centers: • located in Seattle, WA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Austin, TX; Madison, WI; Graham, NC; and Portsmouth, NH

5. Nationally Recognized Biotech Programs • http://www.biotechworkforce.org/ • National Bio-Link CenterElaine A. JohnsonBio-Link City College of San Francisco 1855 Folsom St, Ste 643 San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 487-2472 ejohnson@biolink.ucsf.edu • http://www.workforce3one.org/

6. National Bio-Link Center (cont.) • Regional centers develop relations with local industry and educational institutions including community colleges, baccalaureate institutions, and high schools • Each regional center spearheads a different element of the program • Bio-Link is supporting a cadre of well-trained instructors and is increasing the number and quality of biotechnology programs for students. • Bio-Link is bringing a wide range of underrepresented students to biotechnology who have the knowledge and skills essential to the field as well as the ability to continue with more advanced education in math, science and engineering.

7. Bio-Link Resources • Clearinghouse • Discussion Group • Internships • Jobs • Resumés • Job Links • Biotech by State

8. Bio-Link Resources • Clearinghouse • A collection of instructional and curriculum materials that are specifically targeted for courses and programs that educate biotechnology technicians and bench scientists. • All materials and resources are available at no charge. • Options: • View Biotech Materials - Summaries of available resources • Become a Subscriber • Become a Contributor • All materials in the Bio-link Clearinghouse are contributed by educators who give us permission to distribute their work. 

9. Workforce3one.org http://www.workforce3one.org/ • sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (ETA), • an interactive communications and learning platform designed to build the capacity of the Workforce Investment System (WIS) to develop strategies that enable individuals to be successful in the 21st century economy • This platform provides online insight into the skills and competencies required by business and industry through the innovative workforce solutions identified by a wide range of strategic partners and grantees • an invested community of system stakeholders who share best practices and model demand-driven and regional economic development strategies at work

10. North Carolina Biotechnology Center It's not surprising that solid career skills are equally as important as scientific or technical training in the eyes of a prospective employer. For example, what if a laboratory technician cut corners or recorded incorrect data? Scientific and technical training may get you a job interview, but it's likely your career skills will land you the job. http://www.ncbiotech.org/

11. Why Biotechnology? • Biotechnology is predicted to be one of the most important applied sciences of the 21st century. The field of biotechnology can trace its true birth back to the dawn of civilization, when early man discovered the ability to ferment grains to make alcoholic beverages, and learned of the usefulness of cross-pollinating crops in order to create new hybrid strains-the earliest form of genetic engineering. (Source: http://www.plunkettresearch.com/health/biotech_trends.htm#2)

12. Why Biotech? (cont.) • Biotechnicians help biotechnical researchers and biologists isolate, analyze and identify the chemicals found in plants, animals, and humans.  They use live organisms, to produce drugs, fertilizers and new chemicals for medicine, food processing, and energy and chemical production.  They may help find a cure for cancer, the common cold or HIV.  Biotechnicians do routine scientific work and conduct supervised tests on biochemical products.  Cell culture technicians do specialized laboratory work for biotech companies. • Experience:Employers prefer two years of specialized training or experience at a community college or four-year institution. • Skills - Knowledge of: • Scientific principles • Research techniques • How to operate laboratory, testing, & field equipment • Computers, computer software • How to interpret computer printouts

13. Skills Communication skills including strong writing and presentation skills. Flexible interpersonal skills such as working effectively alone, with a partner, or as a member of a team. Leadership skills including the ability to organize, motivate, and manage people and projects. Organization skills including attention to detail, troubleshooting ability, and time management. Attributes Successful employees in the biotechnology industry are: Self-motivated Eager to learn Resourceful Problem solvers Reliable Trustworthy Punctual Biotechnicians Need:

14. A Few Biotech Careers • Laboratory Technician • Biologist • Process Supervisor • Senior Production Assistant I • cDNA Library Coordinator • Software Development Analyst • Account Manager • Facilities Manager/Production Scientist • Research Specialist • Metrology Specialist • R&D Scientist 4 • Quality Assurance Auditor • Research & Development Scientist • Process Development Technician • Quality Control Technician/Analyst • Manufacturing Operator • Lot Review Coorodinator • Research Technician/Associate/Assistant • Validation Consultant • Sequencing Technician • Bioinformatics Technician • Cell Culture Technician • Protein Purification Technician • Biotech Educator • Biotech Consultant • Biotech Coordinator (industry, academia, schools) • Biotech Advisor (science organizations/nonscience organizations; political committees, etc.)

15. From Career Option to Career • Workplace skills in classroom • Internships (paid/unpaid) during summer or late high school years • Community college, college, university – depends upon career selected/desired • Continued progression from student to employee

16. Internships

17. Internships • Opportunity for students to use learned skills, knowledge, and talents in different environment • See importance of workplace skills in action – realize that lack of proper recording effects experiments/lab greatly • Interns learn self-reliance and self-confidence as succeed • Possible future job opportunity • Allows program to emphasize workplace skills via interaction of interns with other students, especially younger students

18. Internships • Pre-intern meetings • Regular meetings throughout internships, including site visits (if practical) • Post-intern meetings

19. Internships • Pre-intern meetings • Transition from classroom to laboratory • Lack of regular grade does not mean lack of responsibility • Emphasize responsibilities of intern • Communication with lab team • Conflict resolution

20. Internships • Regular meetings throughout internships, including site visits (if practical) • Opportunity for intern to “vent” • Compare lab experiences with non-lab experiences • Post-intern meeting/Presentation • Mentor and mentee work towards common goal • Mentor can access accomplishments of mentee and compare to other internships • Access success of internship • Suggest areas of improvement

21. Incorporating Into Lab Activities • Expecting students to prepare basic reagents • Encouraging/rewarding lab clean-up and lab attire • Thus, students learn the fundamental skills that are vital to success in a laboratory environment • Skills are reinforced by internships, scientist visits, and touring neighborhood labs

22. Typical Lab POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION Laboratory Procedures Briefly (10 sec.) spin each labeled tube in the profuge. Put the following components into a sterile sterile 0.5ml microcentrifuge tube containing a white bad. The white bead contains the standard PCR reaction components – dNTP’s, Buffer, MgCl2, and Taq polymerase. Template DNA 10l Primer 1 and 2 (Mixed) 10l Ultrapure ddH2O 7l Label the top of the tube with your initials, date, and expt. Then, spin (10 sec.) the tube containing all components to insure each chemical is at the bottom of the tube. Carefully add 50l of mineral oil (or wax beads) to the tube. Place tube into the thermocycler which will be set to run under the following specifications: Cycle #Condition 1 – 29 45 seconds at 94C (Denaturation) 45 seconds at 45C (Annealing) 45 seconds at 72C (Extension) 30 45 seconds at 94 (Denaturation) 45 seconds at 45 (Annealing) 5 minutes at 72 (Extension) While the PCR reaction is running, set up a 1.5% agarose, using the 1xTBE buffer. Once the PCR reaction has completed, take 10 l of your PCR product (below the mineral oil or wax paper) and add it to a new sterile tube labeled 1.5ml tube. (NOTE: You may need to use a sterile micropipetter tip to gently pierce the wax latter. Do not push the tip all the way through. Then remove the 10l of PCR product and put into new tube.} add 1 l of loading dye. Load samples and molecular weight markers (MWM) onto the gel and record what each is in ea well. Run the gel at 100V for one hour (or until pink dye is 2-3cm from bottle of gel. Stain gel with ethidium bromide for 30 minus. View results using IV light.

23. Typical Lab to Biotech Lab • Students prepare solutions • Students responsible for lab maintenance (assign tasks/grade) • Students can run lab experiments pseudo-independently, especially as progress from sophomore to junior to senior years • Access periodically; maturation process; comfort level, capabilities

24. DCBiotech/CASE • NSF funded grant #0603415 • 2006-09 • Partnership between Carnegie Institution for Science, DCPS and OCTE, Montgomery College, and others

25. DCBiotech/CASE • Toby Horn, Julie Edmonds, Maxine Singer, Bianca Abrams

26. For Additional Information: • Visit www.dcbiotech.org • Contact us: • Marlena Jones mjones@ciw.edu 202-939-1103 • Toby Horn thorn@ciw.edu 202-939-1136 • Location: • 1530 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005

27. Enjoy Memphis!

28. DC Biotech is • NSF funded ATE grant #0603415 • A partnership between Carnegie Institution for Science, DCPS, MC • Operates at McKinley Technology High School and Ballou Senior High School