Career Brochure Web

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Looking for an exciting career?

A career in industrial microbiology/biotechnology may be justthe one for you. Te following information answers questions

most people have about this exciting and challenging career

path:

• What is industrial microbiology/biotechnology?

• What kind of work does an industrial microbiologist do?

• What training and education are required to succeed

in industrial microbiology/ biotechnology?

• Why should someone consider a career in industrialmicrobiology/biotechnology?

What is industrial microbiology/biotechnology?

Industrial microbiology or microbial biotechnology is the ap-

plication of scientific and engineering principles to the pro-

cessing of materials by microorganisms (such as bacteria,

fungi, algae, protozoa and viruses) or plant and animal cells to

create useful products or processes. Te microorganisms uti-

lized may be natural isolates, laboratory selected mutants or



microbes that have been genetically engineered using recom-

binant DNA methods. Te terms “industrial microbiology”

and “biotechnology” are oen one and the same.Areas of industrial microbiology include quality assur-

ance for the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries.

Industrial microbiologists may also be responsible for air

and plant contamination, health of animals used in testing

products, and discovery of new organisms and pathways. For

instance, most antibiotics come from microbial fermentationsinvolving a group of organisms called actinomycetes. Other

organisms such as yeasts are used in baking, in the produc-

tion of alcohol for beverages, and in fuel production (gasohol).

Additional groups of microorganisms form products that

range from organic acids to enzymes used to create various

sugars, amino acids, and detergents. For example, the sweet-ener aspartame is derived from amino acids produced by

microorganisms.

Industrial microbiologists may also deal with products

associated with the food and dairy industries, with the pre-

vention or deterioration of processed or manufactured goods,and with waste disposal systems. For more in-depth coverage

of topics in industrial microbiology, you may want to exam-

ine the Society for Industrial Microbiology’s peer-reviewed

Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology and its

homepage www.simhq.org.



What kind of work does an industrialmicrobiologist do?

When choosing a career in industrial microbiology or biotech-

nology, you should be prepared to embrace a multidisciplinary

science. Very rarely will challenges be unidirectional, but rath-

er will require investigation of several aspects of a process or

production problem. In such circumstances, you will oen

need skills and expertise in additional fields such as molecularbiology, bioengineering, or biochemistry.

Many industrial microbiologists/biotechnologists are re-

sponsible for the discovery, development, or implementation

of certain processes and the quality of resultant products:

Antibiotics/Antimicrobials

Both natural and chemically enhanced micro-

bial products can be used to control human,

animal, and plant diseases. Using traditional

genetics or recombinant DNA techniques, the

microorganisms can be modified to improve the yield oraction of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents. New

research directions are aimed at discovering microbial

metabolites (with pharmacological activities) useful in the

treatment of hypertension, obesity, coronary heart dis-

ease, cancer, and inflammation.

Vaccines

Vaccines are essential to protect humans and

animals from microbial diseases. Recombinant

DNA technology has allowed for the produc-

tion of vaccines that offer protection withoutrisk of infection (e.g. hepatitis B vaccine). New vaccines are

being developed by industrial microbiolgists every day.

Health-care products

The development and production of diagnosticassays that utilize monoclonal antibody or DNA

probe technology are essential in the manufac-

ture of health-care products such as rapid tests

for strep throat, pregnancy, and AIDS. Microorganisms are

also used to produce human or animal biologicals such as

insulin, growth hormone, and antibodies. The industrial



improve plant yields and to serve as plant pest controls. All

of these require a microbiolgist to insure product efficacy

and quality.

Enzymes

Industrial applications of enzymes include the

production of cheese, the clarification of apple

juice, the development of more efficient laun-dry detergents, pulp and paper production,

and the treatment of sewage. These processes have been

dramatically enhanced by the use of recombinant DNA

techniques to design enzymes of increased activity, stabil-

ity, and specificity.

Carbohydrates

Some molecular sieves for purification/separa-

tion processes (e.g., dextran) and thickening

agents (e.g., xanthan used in salad dressings),

which are stable at high temperatures, are ex-amples of microbial carbohydrates. The latter are also used

for secondary oil recovery in oil fields and as lubricants in

drilling oil wells, gelling agents in foods, and thickeners in

both paints and foods.

Organic chemicals

Compounds such as acetone, methanol, buta-

nol, and ethanol have multiple applications in

industrial settings, often as raw materials for in-

dustrial processes. The microbiolgist is involved

in research on improvements in the production and detec-tion of new metabolic pathways. Microbes will increasing-

ly be used to supplant or replace those processes which

rely on petroleum/natural gas for the production of these

compounds.

Oil recovery/mining

Oil recovery may be facilitated by the devel-

opment of unique bacteria which produce a

surfactant that forces trapped oil out of rocks.

Extraction of minerals from low-grade ores is

enhanced by some bacteria (microbial leaching). In addi-



What training and education arerequired to succeed in industrial

microbiology/ biotechnology?

High school students interested in a career in industrial mi-

crobiology/biotechnology should take college preparatory

courses in mathematics, physics, biology, and chemistry. You

may become a skilled technician through on-the-job training,but many organizations require that a technician take career-

related college level courses in order to advance to higher pay-

ing technical positions. Overall, employment opportunities

in industrial microbiology/biotechnology are very limited for

high school graduates.

Although many high school programs now offer formal

microbiology/biotechnology instruction you will probably

have to participate in extra-curricular activities (e.g. science

fair projects or individualized study programs guided by your

teacher or a scientist in the community) to supplement the ma-terial covered in these courses. Further exposure to industrial

microbiology may be obtained by working during the summer

in an industrial, university, or hospital microbiology laborato-

ry. Your guidance counselor may also be helpful in identifying

college, industry, and government sponsored summer enrich-

ment programs for high school or undergraduate students.



American Institute of

Chemical Engineers

3 Park AvenueNew York, NY 10016-5991

Phone (General inquiries): 800-

242-4363

Phone (International calls):

212-591-8100

Fax: 212-591-8888Web: www.aiche.org

American Petroleum Institute

1220 L Street, NW

Washington, DC 20005-4070

Phone: 202-682-8000Web: www.api.org

American Society for

Microbiology

1752 N Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20036-2904Phone: 202-737-3600

Web: www.asm.org

BIOTECanada

130 Albert Street, Suite 420

Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4CANADA

Phone (Ontario): 613-230-5585

Phone: (Toronto): 416-979-

2652

Fax: 613-563-8850

Email: [email protected]: www.biotech.ca

Institute of Food

Technologists

525 W. Van Buren,Ste. 1000

Chicago, IL 60607

Phone: 312-782-8424

Fax: 312-782-8348

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.ift.org/cms/

Society for Industrial

Microbiology

3929 Old Lee Highway

Suite 92A

Fairfax, VA 22030-2421Phone: 703-691-3357

Fax: 703-691-7991

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.simhq.org

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