Bioscience

Saturday 08 December 2007Comment on this article Permlink

Bioscience

Work in the STEM Sector has largely concentrated on Bioscience and Biotechnology this quarter.

We emphasised to our partners whilst investigating this sector, that employability and career opportunities in this sector and its supply chain must be clear for prospective students.

The course provision needs to be clearly directed and defined.

That is, to decide if it is to focus on bio-industrial applications on the basis of microbiology, food science, bioorganic chemistry, genomics and bioinformatics, or toward pharmaceutical and health oriented applications.

This is largely driven by expertise of teaching staff and the employer links developed by the College delivering the Foundation Degree, as this is the underpinning process supporting valid work experience to enhance employment opportunities for learners on the programme.

Our further report on this sector sought to provide further clarity about the context and distinction between Bioscience and Biotechnology.

This includes biotechnology companies, suppliers and service companies, diagnostic and device companies.

Bioscience covers a number of areas including:

Water hygiene
Pharmaceutical & fine chemicals
Plant nutrition
Animal nutrition and health
General life sciences

Many firms within the sector are suppliers of products and services to the animal, food, health product and pharmaceutical industries. They cover a product’s whole life-cycle, from concept to consumer.

The biotechnology sector is made of companies that focus on the research, development and commercialisation of high technology, science-based products.

These are generally in the areas of:

Pharmaceuticals
Diagnostics
The environment
Agriculture
Food

The primary commercial activity of these companies depends on the application of biological organisms, systems or processes, or the provision of specialist services.

Broadly, they work in the following areas:

‘Blue’ biotechnology – marine applications, such as fish farming
Consultancy and other services – regulatory affairs, contract research, clinical governance etc
Diagnostics – using life science platform technologies to develop diagnostics for healthcare, environmental and industrial applications
‘Green’ biotechnology – animal healthcare, biopesticides, crop agriculture and food technology
Pharmaceuticals – both prescription medicines and ‘over the counter’ preparations as well as contract manufacture
Pharmaceutical biotechnology: Using life science platform technologies to develop new drugs, biomaterials, drug delivery systems, gene therapies, genomics and vaccines
‘White’ biotechnology: Enzymes, food ingredients (e.g. vitamins), biological polymers and fine chemicals. Biocleaning, bioremediation, water or effluent treatment and waste recycling
Technology service providers: Reagents, equipment and instruments used in research laboratories

Biosciences involve a range of markets and professions: