Centennial College's Biotechnology program will prepare students to work as a laboratory technician (in quality control and quality assurance) in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Biotechnology courses will provide practical application in industrial microbiology as well as chemistry (analytical), organic chemistry and biochemistry. Laboratory techniques, including appropriate safety procedures, will be extensively highlighted.

A special feature of this applied science program is its project-based approach, with independently-designed microbiology projects that will enhance students' problem-solving and research skills.

Students will learn to: • Isolate, enumerate and identify microorganisms from many types of samples (water, soil, air, the body, food, and pharmaceutical and cosmetic products); • Prepare specimens for staining and become an expert light-microscopist; • Become proficient in aseptic handling of materials; • Accurately calibrate and use a range of instruments such as pH and BOD meters, gas chromatographs, spectrophotometers (regular/IR/UV) and HPLCs; • Prepare microbiological media and reagents and culture pathogenic microbes; • Design and perform their own microbiology experiments; • Use microorganisms to assay pharmaceutical products.

Students may graduate in two years as a biotechnician or continue into a third year to study specialized topics such as advanced biotechnology and microbial genetics or systematic microbiology. With the third year of study, students will graduate from the Biotechnology – Advanced offering.