University Catalog 2024-2025

EXPLORE PROGRAMSAPPLY

Biotechnology (Minor)

M.S. and Ph.D. minors in biotechnology are available to students who successfully complete at least eight credit hours in selected laboratory core courses and conduct their graduate thesis research in an area of biotechnology. At least one member of the student's thesis committee must be a member of the Biotechnology faculty. Research in biotechnology is focused in three main areas: recombinant DNA technology, bioprocessing/bioanalytical techniques, and in vitro culture techniques. The multidisciplinary nature of biotechnology means that a wide range of research topics and techniques are applicable.

Students wishing to pursue graduate studies leading to either a M.S. or Ph.D. minor in biotechnology must enroll and conduct their research in a participating department. For specific information about enrollment requirements, contact the participating departments of interest to you directly.

More Information

Biotechnology Minor Program Website

Applicant Information 

Delivery Method: On-campus
Entrance Exam: 
Interview Required: 

Master's Minor Plan Requirements

Required Course4
BIT 510
Core Technologies in Molecular and Cellular Biology
OR if approved by the Director of the Biotechnology Program, can be waived and replaced by 4 credits of BIT lab modules
Elective Courses4
Select two of the following:
BIT 564
Protein Purification
BIT 571
RNA Interference and Model Organisms
BIT 573
Protein Interactions
BIT 574
Plant Genetic Engineering
BIT 577
Metagenomics
BIT 579
High-Throughput Discovery
BIT 580
Yeast Metabolic Engineering
BIT 582
Virus Biotechnology: Pathogens to Therapeutics
New laboratory modules are offered every year as BIT 595 Special Topics. Currently offered lab modules include:
BIT 595
Special Topics (Introduction to Biological Electron Microscopy Techniques)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Deep Sequencing Analysis)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Cancer Drug Discovery and Development)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Experimental Assay Design)
BIT 595
Special Topics (DNA Forensics)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Gene Manipulation in Zebrafish)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Genome Editing: CRISPR Technology)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Illuminating Disease with Chemical Biology)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Microbiomes: From Sampling to Community Analysis)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Portable Genome Sequencing)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Protein & Metabolic Engineering by Directed Evolution)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Flying Beyond the Transcriptome: Transcriptional Regulation and Gene Networks)
Additional courses
Select at least one credit from a life science-related course (including BIT lab modules) to be approved by the Director of the Biotechnology Program or from the BIT classes listed below:1
BIT 502
Biotechnology Networking and Professional Development
BIT 811
Molecular Biotechnology Professional Development
BIT 812
Capstone Biotechnology
BIT 813
Research Ethics in Biotechnology
BIT 814
Rigor & Reproducibility in Research
Total Hours9

Doctoral Minor Plan Requirements

Required Course4
BIT 510
Core Technologies in Molecular and Cellular Biology
OR if approved by the academic advisor of the Biotechnology Program, can be waived and replaced by 4 credits of BIT lab modules (see below
Elective Courses4
Select two of the following:
BIT 564
Protein Purification
BIT 571
RNA Interference and Model Organisms
BIT 573
Protein Interactions
BIT 574
Plant Genetic Engineering
BIT 577
Metagenomics
BIT 579
High-Throughput Discovery
BIT 580
Yeast Metabolic Engineering
BIT 815
Advanced Special Topics (Professional Development)
BIT 582
Virus Biotechnology: Pathogens to Therapeutics
New laboratory modules are offered every year as BIT 595 Special Topics. Currently offered lab modules include:
BIT 595
Special Topics (Introduction to Biological Electron Microscopy Techniques)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Deep Sequencing Analysis)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Cancer Drug Discovery and Development)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Experimental Assay Design)
BIT 595
Special Topics (DNA Forensics)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Gene Manipulation in Zebrafish)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Genome Editing: CRISPR Technology)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Illuminating Disease with Chemical Biology)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Microbiomes: From Sampling to Community Analysis)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Portable Genome Sequencing)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Protein & Metabolic Engineering by Directed Evolution)
BIT 595
Special Topics (Flying Beyond the Transcriptome: Transcriptional Regulation and Gene Networks)
Additional courses4
Select at least four credits from a 500-level or higher life science-related course (including additional BIT elective courses) to be approved by the Director of the Biotechnology Program or from the BIT classes listed below:
BIT 811
Molecular Biotechnology Professional Development
BIT 812
Capstone Biotechnology
BIT 813
Research Ethics in Biotechnology
BIT 814
Rigor & Reproducibility in Research
Total Hours12

Full Professor

  • Robert M. Kelly

Associate Professors

  • Petra Bizikova
  • Glenn P. Cruse
  • Mary Elting
  • Manuel Kleiner
  • Laurianne Chantal Van Landeghem
  • Kelly Meiklejohn
  • Santosh Mishra
  • Brina Mortensen Montoya
  • Benjamin J. Reading
  • Lauren V. Schnabel

Assistant Professors

  • Christa Baker
  • Nathan Crook
  • Natalia Duque-Wilckens
  • Sharonda Latrice Johnson LeBlanc
  • Wusheng Liu
  • Kasie Raymann
  • Breanna Jo Sheahan
  • Jack Wang
  • Xiaoqiu Wang
  • Justin Whitehill
  • Yang Zhang

Teaching Associate Professors

  • Carlos C. Goller
  • Melissa Srougi

Teaching Assistant Professor

  • Stefanie Chen