Biotechnology...is there any future?

[TwIsTeD_Rubz]

I'm a biology major and loving it (nerd ba?)! however, i'm not really inclined to go to med school (50-50 pa lang). i'm really more inclined to chemistry, although i like the biological side of chem more than the industrial side.

do you think that there is a future for a biotechnologist? what good biotech graduate courses can you recommend? medicinal chem, molecular biology, etc?

thanks!

[This message has been edited by TwIsTeD_Rubz (edited 07-08-2000).]

[Nsyncs Pinaylovr]

Are you kidding me!?!?! Biotech is huge!!! Well, ok, I don't know about the future of the Biotech industry in the Philippines, but in the States, I would say that it has a very good future. I'm a fresh college graduate with a degree in Microbiology, and honestly, I'm not at all that nervous about not being able to find a job cause Biotech companies are everywhere!!!

[newbiew27]

I agree, biotechies have a good future... I won't be surprised if there demands would be as high for Comp. Sci grads in the near future. Just look at the stocks of the bio-tech companies, they are soaring...

[elijah]

Twistes_rubz dapat nag Biochem ka.i bet you'll like it.

biotechnology is kinda young in the country- but there are few good companies that hires microbiology/biochemistry/m.b.b./biology et. al. graduates here in the country.

i suggest- if your not going to pursue a career in medicine-just stick here in the phil. for it needs few good man to increase the biotechnolgy/biochemistry satature in the country.

I am a Biochemistry graduate-the mother of all life sciences-the very root of biotechnology-dapat mag-a-apply ako in U.P. or U.S.T. para magturo-kaya lang hindi ko field yon eh-hinahabol ako ng Zuellig pero ayoko sa Lab. o kaya mag med-rep.talagang gusto kong mag med- kaya nasa U.S.T. ako-nag-me med.

ikaw naman ang makakapag-decide kung ano ang gusto mo.good luck kiddo!



[This message has been edited by elijah (edited 07-09-2000).]

[TwIsTeD_Rubz]

thanks a lot for replyin!

this may sound weird, maybe impossible and sort of complicated, but the thing is, regardless of where i finish my grad studies, i want to work here. whY? beats the hell out of me...

how much more will i have to study if i want to pursue a degree in molecular biology and biotech?

[super blok blok]

i really dont know anything about biotech, but like the course im taking now, i also feel like theres no room for future in it. So i guess we ought to have a stand on what we chose<;course>;, let's forget about the future and concentrate more on the field tnat we are into, who knows, maybe one day in the near future our hardwork will pay off.
accounting is like comsci, one day its a hit the next day its at the bottom of the charts.
i hope u get my point.

[mark_mark]

hey! do u know this is really strange. when i was in the
dorm a few hours ago, someone gave me a survey form
on biotechnology. he... i went into my sci 10 class after
and we had a fil showing on biotechnology. after that
i came here to find out that there is a topic on biotechnology.
hm...what is with the biotechnology thing people? i've had
enough of that for this day...he...

[qwerty78]

Biotechnology HAS a future, no question about that.

BUT...

the problem is, that FUTURE that you are looking for is, unfortunately, not here in the Philippines.

my sister is taking up MBB (Molecular biology and biotechnology) in UP of course(since, correct me if i'm wrong, UP is the only school that offers this course here in the Phil.) and she's really...hmmm... unsure of what would happen to her after graduation.

share na lang ako ng story: ganito kasi yun, yung grumaduate WITH THE HIGHEST HONORS sa isang batch ng MBB eh hindi nakapasok sa isang company(ewan ko na kung ano) dahil daw sa wala itong PREVIOUS JOB EXPERIENCE. http://www.pinoyexchange.com/lol.gif how would they expect a fresh graduate to have a job experience? besides, that person graduated with honors, wasn't that good enough? apparently not.

so if you intend to take up biotechnology, just put in mind that you will be appreciated if and only if you work abroad.

at least that's the way i see it. :D

[veejay97]

i was actually thinking about going into the bioinformatics field.

im a computer science graduate, and i notice that many Information technology professionals are focusing more on developing business applications and less on medical applications. so i think there is a future in this field. moreover, its the number 1 undustry now in the US.

now my question is, will companies in the US willing to sponsor Bioinformatics technicians from other country. im currently in the states and planning to take up an associate in biotechnology in the MA. since most of the BioTech companies are there.

marlon

[prof_x]

Originally posted by veejay97
i was actually thinking about going into the bioinformatics field.

im a computer science graduate, and i notice that many Information technology professionals are focusing more on developing business applications and less on medical applications. so i think there is a future in this field. moreover, its the number 1 undustry now in the US.

Do not equate bioinformatics with medical applications. Medical applications development is in health/medical informatics.


now my question is, will companies in the US willing to sponsor Bioinformatics technicians from other country. im currently in the states and planning to take up an associate in biotechnology in the MA. since most of the BioTech companies are there.

marlon

If you are in the US already - get your Bioinformatics degree there and for sure, US companies will hire you... unless, of course, your visa restricts you. But then again, if you are really that good, most US companies will do everything to keep you in the US.

[pyket]

Originally posted by qwerty78
Biotechnology HAS a future, no question about that.

BUT...

the problem is, that FUTURE that you are looking for is, unfortunately, not here in the Philippines.

my sister is taking up MBB (Molecular biology and biotechnology) in UP of course(since, correct me if i'm wrong, UP is the only school that offers this course here in the Phil.) and she's really...hmmm... unsure of what would happen to her after graduation.

share na lang ako ng story: ganito kasi yun, yung grumaduate WITH THE HIGHEST HONORS sa isang batch ng MBB eh hindi nakapasok sa isang company(ewan ko na kung ano) dahil daw sa wala itong PREVIOUS JOB EXPERIENCE. how would they expect a fresh graduate to have a job experience? besides, that person graduated with honors, wasn't that good enough? apparently not.

so if you intend to take up biotechnology, just put in mind that you will be appreciated if and only if you work abroad.

at least that's the way i see it. :D

though it is true that a biotech market abroad is bigger than that in the philippines, i honestly don't think that biotech is futureless back in the philippines. i know of some people in MBB who are aiming to become forensic pathologists or geneticists or even marine biologists in the country. biotechnology is HUGE, and, frankly, it's only the beginning.

the story you shared is true for a lot of graduates for a myriad of courses --- both in the philippines, and even here in the states. there are just some positions that you have to work your way up. the problem sometimes is that graduates with honors or such aim for the top position feeling that their latin honors can compensate for the lack of experience in the field. now, i'm not saying that one should aim low. i'm just saying one should be have the humility sometimes to work their way up. whatever that means is open to interpretation.

[Steely_Damned]

Biotech will be the next big thing in business as soon as the tech field's momentum sputters out. However, in contrast to the infrastructure established for the tech industry in the Philippines, hindi pa ganun ka-established ang overall infrastructure ng biotech dito.

However, this should not stop us from building up our competence and intellectual resources in biotech. Ang daming societal problems na kinakailangan ng biotech-driven applications especially in food security and health. For that reason, I suggest that you choose research na lang coz we need more skilled people in the trenches of R&D.

On the part of government, it must review its existing policy framework in order to identify bottlenecks that hinder or discourage the growth of the biotech sector in the Philippines. DOST and the science communities must take a more proactive stance in transferring research results directly to its stakeholders. They should adopt a more developmental approach to science and technology kasi talagang maraming nangangailangan ng tulong nila.

Greenpeace and all those irresponsible anti-science groups must be kept in the defensive by exposing them for what they really are: a bunch of extortionists pushing a cause for a hefty fee. Yes, that's what they really are!!! These global terrorists are major reasons why much of the Third World have no food to eat, including our brothers and sisters in the South.

Sorry but I had to include Greenpeace and their minions in my post because they obstruct biotech development in our country.

[kodak]

Biotechnology has a great future definitely. Be it in industry or in academe....But first and foremost, the science has to be understood very well. The recent developments for example in stem cell research and in cloning are extremely interesting and outstanding. The potential of this kind of research is so enormous that we should immediately begin to open this field in the Philippines (if it has not started yet). Understanding the science is key to avoiding misconceptions by the general public....Research in ANY field should aim to CLARIFY questions posed by Nature, not to try to impress the layman with jargon that do not convey any information.

Kudos to those entering this area of research.

[chief_chick]

Steely-Dammed: We are not global terrorists. And certainly we do not charge any fees at all. In fact, among all the activists organizations, ONLY Greenpeace is constantly conscious of our actions lest we be identified with any group or individual. WE CERTAINLY DON'T KISS ARSES UNLIKE SOME OF THOSE THAT WE KNOW.

We are also not against progress via the biotechnology route. This is what our country needs. But if you will read closely and understand the issues, we are against violations in human ethics being employed by the big multinationals who are out to take advantage of small, needy countries like the Philippines. Take for example Genetically Engineered crops (or GMOs genetically modified organisms). Tama ba ang lagyan ng DNA from a virus and isang crop like corn or rice just so they would be more resistant to diseases? Tama bang lagyan ng antibiotics ang mga crops when we know that there are people allergic to some anitbiotics? Numerous pa...not enough space. Want a thread just for the two of us on this issue?

You bet your sweet life we will go after these multinationals and people in the government or industry who will violate human and medical ethics on issues like genetic engineering.

By the way, FYI, in Europe, all genetically engineered foods are now being banned. Not in the US because THEY are the creators of this untested technology.

[TwIsTeD_Rubz]

it's funny going back to this thread...i started it 2 years ago and i remember myself being so unsure about med.

guess what, i'm in med school already!! hahaha..

but still that doesn't stop me from dreaming about biotechnology. i've come to accept the fact that the future, at least the immediate future of biotech here in the philippines is not really very bright yet.

i studied med to take an alternative route to biotech, through the medical field. i still want to become a researcher someday, pero this time from the point of view of a medical doctor. how better to treat a person than by fully understanding his/her functions diba?

oh well...call me idealistic but i wanna go to the states and bring back a wealth of biotech info and jumpstart the biotech field here