Biotechnology laboratory technology programs prepare people to work in labs using applications of biological science. Students learn to carry out lab tests such as cell cultures and DNA purification. They also learn lab safety and computer use.

Did you know that making cheese and wine are two of the oldest applications of biotechnology in history? In both processes, bacteria consume complex ingredients such as starches and break them down into simpler products such as acids or alcohol.

It may seem gross to think about living organisms in your cheese sandwich or swimming around in a bottle of wine. But these are examples of the remarkable ways that biotechnology uses living organisms (or parts of living organisms) to improve people's lives. A more current example of biotechnology is the release of oil-eating micro-organisms at the site of an oil spill in the ocean.

Biotechnology lab technicians play active roles in helping to conduct research experiments and make products used in biotechnology. As a student in this program, you study the principles of biological sciences such as microbiology and immunology. You then learn to apply these principles in the lab.

For example, you might first learn about DNA in a molecular biology course. Then, you might get a chance to extract the DNA from a type of bacteria and analyze its coding using a special computer program. You can see how knowledge, skill, and technology intertwine in this program of study.

About 85 schools offer programs in biotechnology laboratory technology. Some of them are listed as biotechnology or biotechnology technician programs. You can earn either a certificate or an associate degree in one of these programs. Either of these will qualify you to work as a lab technician in biotechnology.

A certificate typically takes one year of full-time study after high school, and an associate degree usually takes two years.