Biotechnology Department

The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the main hubs of biotechnology in the country, home to more than 3000 biotechnology/life sciences companies ranging from small startups to large corporations.

Ohlone's Biotechnology program provides students with excellent preparation in the hands-on skills and protocols used in local companies. Ohlone's students use modern equipment in state-of-the-art labs, and by their second semester are cloning DNA, growing mammalian cells in bioreactors, purifying proteins, sequencing DNA, and more. In addition, Ohlone's students receive training in the Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Laboratory Practices that are standard in the biotechnology industry.

Graduates of Ohlone's program are well prepared for entry-level positions in the life sciences industry. Ohlone graduates are working at biotechnology companies around the Bay Area, including Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, Thermo Fisher, Baxter, Abaxis, Genencor, BioChain, Roche, and more.

Visit our Getting Started in Biotechnology page for information about which classes to take first.  Have more questions about the program?  Contact our biotech program coordinator Dr.Laurie Issel-Tarver, lisseltarver@ohlone.edu. 

Biotechnology Degree and Certificates

Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree

• Biotechnology, A.S. Degree (PDF)

Certificates of Achievement

• Biotechnology: Bio-Manufacturing Certificate of Achievement (PDF)
• Biotechnology: Biostatistics (PDF)
• Biotechnology: Biotechnology Research Associate Certificate of Achievement (PDF)
• Biotechnology Operations

Additional Information

Review a sample listing of Courses in this area of study. Review academic requirements in the Catalog and in the Curriculum Guides. All students are encouraged to meet with a counselor to review academic program requirements and discuss their long-range academic plan.

Related Ohlone College Websites

• Biotechnology Workshops offered by the Northern California Bay Area Biotechnology Center.
• Learning Alliance for Bioscience (LAB) Program: High School Outreach.
• Biotechnology Math Modules: Help with the calculation used in biotechnology.
• Getting Started in Biotechnology

Division

Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Division.