Biological Technology - Stem Cell-Based Biomanufacturing

The Biological Technology - Stem Cell-Based Biomanufacturing curriculum is designed to prepare students to work in the biotechnology industry by providing instruction and training in basic and advanced laboratory procedures as well as specialized training in stem cell culture techniques and biomanufacturing processes. Emphasis is placed on program participants developing the necessary employability skills and competency for working in a laboratory environment, specifically in biomedical and academic laboratories performing research in the emerging field of regenerative medicine biomanufacturing.

The program offers classroom instruction in a laboratory setting and cell culture facility equipped for biomanufacturing training and assistance in finding appropriate on-site internships providing practical work-based experience in the biotechnology industry. Students must be able to provide their own transportation in the final semester(s) to an internship site. Employment opportunities include: biomedical industry, academic research institutions, pharmaceuticals companies, and genetic engineering laboratories.

A Certificate of Achievement is awarded upon completion of all required courses with a grade of C or better

Recommended Preparation: 

BIOL 110 or equivalent

CHEM 022 or equivalent

Certificate of Achievement: Stem Cell Culture	2016-2017	2017-2018	2018-2019	2019-2020	2020-2021	Ave
Number of Certificates	6	6	6	5	9	6

Based on the average number of students who earn a Certificate of Achievement in Biological Technology - Stem Cell Culture, the number of projected students or annual completers in Biological Technology - Stem Cell-Based Biomanufacturing is 6.

Pasadena City College provides career and technical education in a variety of programs, including Biological Technology since 1997.  A Certificate of Achievement in Stem Cell Culture was added in 2005.

 The goals of the Biotechnology program are to:

• prepare students for careers in research, both in academia and in industry;
•  ensure that students are competitive when applying to institutions of higher education;
• offer enhanced educational activities to regional high schools;
•  include individuals who are from underrepresented and diverse student populations;
• facilitate internships and advanced training opportunities in a variety of research fields, including stem cell biology and bioinformatics;
• and provide a well-trained workforce to the local research community, at various educational and technical levels.

The Biological Technology - Stem Cell-Based Biomanufacturing program achieves these goals by providing participants an opportunity to develop occupational skills required for working in a laboratory environment, including;

• performing basic and advanced laboratory techniques;
• collecting, documenting, and analyzing data;
• and participating in short-term independent projects. 

The core curriculum comprises instruction and hands-on training in general laboratory skills, advanced DNA and protein techniques, computational methods, and mammalian cell culture procedures.  Additional biotechnology courses providing specialized instruction in stem cell culture techniques and biomanufacturing processes are required for completion of the Biological Technology - Stem Cell-Based Biomanufacturing program.

The student learning objectives (SLOs) are as follows:

1.     Evaluate and write laboratory documents including SOPs, protocols, and notebook documentation following good documentation practices.  

2.     Use, maintain, calibrate and/or validate standard laboratory equipment to perform stem cell-based biomanufacturing and related bioprocessing techniques adhering to safety and regulatory guidelines.

3.    Demonstrate laboratory techniques for collecting, documenting, and analyzing data for entry-level technician positions in stem cell-based biomanufacturing facilities in the biomedical industry and in research institutes.

Biotechnology courses are taught in a laboratory setting and cell culture facility equipped for biomanufacturing training and include hands-on laboratory activities that require extensive oversight by the instructor; therefore, class is limited in size to provide the appropriate level of instruction and a safe working environment for students.  Recommended class size ranges from 12 to 16.

Employment opportunities upon earning a Certificate of Achievement - Biological Technology - Stem Cell-Based Biomanufacturing are available in the following areas: biomedical industry, academic research institutes, pharmaceutical companies, and genetic engineering facilities, specifically performing stem cell culture and biomanufacturing.

Occupations include: biological technicians; chemical technicians; quality assurance technicians; control analysts; manufacturing production technicians; clinical laboratory technologists and technicians; bioengineers and biomedical engineers, and industrial production managers.

The Biological Technology - Stem Cell-Based Biomanufacturing program requires completion of the core biotechnology courses that provide basic and advanced laboratory skills as well as cell culture techniques to prepare students to work in the biotechnology industry and academic research facilities.  Additional courses offering stem cell-related curriculum are also required to prepare for the capstone coursework in stem cell-based biomanufacturing and related bioprocessing techniques.  Cell and Molecular Biology provides instruction on basic principles of cell and molecular biology using mouse embryonic fibroblasts and mouse embryonic stem cells as model biological systems and Specialized Techniques and Instrumentation in Biotechnology demonstrates advanced instrumentation techniques used to perform an experimental workflow to study a developmental process using stem cells.  After completion of the laboratory techniques training courses, participation in an internship in the biomedical industry or an academic research laboratory to gain practical experience is required.  Completion of the courses providing instruction and training in specialized stem cell culture and advanced instrumentation techniques as well as biomanufacturing and related bioprocessing technologies is needed to complete the educational requirements for the Biological Technology - Stem Cell-Based Biomanufacturing program.    

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester
BIOL 102A	Biological Technology - Basic Techniques	3	Y1, S1
CHEM 001A	General Chemistry and Chemical Analysis I	5	Y1, S1
BIOL 102B	Biological Technology - Advanced Techniques	3	Y1, S2
BIOL 102C	Biological Technology - Cell Culture Techniques	3	Y1, S2
BIOL 038	Cell and Molecular Biology	4	Y2, S3
BIOL 010A	Cellular Biology, Genetics and Evolution	5	Y2, S4
BIOL 003   BIOL 039   BIOL 010C	Human Biology  or Modern Human Genetics or Genetics	4   4   3	Y2, S4
BIOL 104E	Specialized Techniques and Instrumentation in Biotechnology	1	Y2, S4
BIOL 104F	Stem Cell-Based Biomanufacturing	3	Y2, S5
BIOL 102D	Biological Technology - Laboratory Internship	3	Y2, S6

n/a

Regional colleges near the PACCD service area offer biotechnology programs but do not offer a stem cell-based biomanufacturing training program.

38 non-duplicative enrollments in academic year 2022-2023

New Program