President Gerald Heeger and Montgomery College President Charlene R. Nunley shake hands after signing the biotechnology articulation agreement.

Maryland Higher Ed Institutions Partner to “Sequence” Articulation in Biotech

By Andrea Martino

Since the sequencing of the human genome in Rockville, Maryland, in 2001, biotechnology has become so popular in Maryland that the state now ranks third nationwide in the number of biotechnology firms and the industry employs more than 16,000 statewide in the private sector alone. In response to the demand for qualified employees in this growing field, UMUC and Montgomery College, in Rockville, have agreed to “sequence” an expedited path to careers in biotechnology.

The two schools are working to establish an articulation agreement that will enable Montgomery College graduates who hold an Associate in Applied Science degree in biotechnology to transfer up to 61 credits from Montgomery College toward a UMUC Bachelor of Technology and Professional Studies in Biotechnology degree.

Biotechnology students gain technical and scientific knowledge in their studies at the two-year college; higher-level coursework at UMUC and a field internship offer more specific information and experience relevant to the biotechnology industry. Students who successfully complete the program will understand basic principles of biotechnology, cell biology, genetics, microbiology, and molecular biology; be able to perform standard laboratory procedures used in academic, industry, and government biotechnology and molecular biology labs; and know how to apply the principles of biotechnology to modern-day problems in fields from medicine and public health to agriculture and environmental science.

Last fall, Montgomery County and Maryland officials set aside $6 million for the development of a 40-acre life science and technology business park adjacent to Montgomery College’s Germantown campus. The school will also develop a state-of-the-art biotechnology education center on the campus.