With the world population ever climbing, biotechnology has the ability to directly answer problems related to the demand for food, medicines and many other key global challenges. I was sitting on the fence in regards to choosing either a career in research or in industry. The Master of Biotechnology offers a unique taste of both research and industry, so I jumped at the opportunity to explore both options further.
I also have relished the sense of community within the Master of Biotechnology; I’m happy to say that most faces in our year are now familiar to me. There is a strong focus on teamwork in the course, meaning that you do a fair amount of group work within your core subjects which has been truly rewarding.
I’m enjoying working on the industry project subject because I’m seeing how all lessons from first year (even the more tedious ones!) apply to real life biotech projects. Our group has been tasked with identifying the key influencers of a novel peanut allergy vaccine currently being developed by a relevantly new start up.
Within this first month of working on the project, I have met three CEOs, put together a professional charter and have begun sketching the competitive landscape for our product. Over the next few months I’ll get to meet other key people involved in the process of commercialising a biotech product, including the IP lawyers and the lead researchers. With access to some of the finest resources, my team and I will put together a report that our company will actually put to use.
Science is an enormously diverse arena and it can be daunting trying to figure out what type of scientist you want to be. Therefore, making an informed decision is imperative. Think about your interests and then put those research skills you gained in your undergraduate degree to good use in order to narrow down your options. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask questions. The staff in the Faculty of Science are here to help make the best decision for you.