Event Title
Biotechnology Internship with Empirical Bioscience
Description
Internships at certain research institutes or industries is an integral part of the Cell and Molecular Biology Professional Science Master’s (PSM) program. It is important to achieve hands-on experience in professional lab settings to gain cell and molecular biology techniques as well as develop professional relationships, effective and efficient leadership abilities, and communication skills. Our internship at Empirical Bioscience, a biotechnology company based in Grand Rapids, offered the opportunity to gain all the skills above by assisting with manufacturing and quality control of their products. More specifically, they manufacture reagents for commercial, research and educational use and most recently, a COVID-19 assay kit that detects Sars-CoV-2. The challenges posed during our internship included a fast-pace environment, learning to work independently and proactively, ability to multitask, and demonstrate critical thinking and troubleshooting skills to meet the demands of the high rate of COVID-19 cases. During our experience we gained skills in micro-pipetting, aseptic technique, large scale cell culture, protein production and purification, PCR, qPCR, RT-qPCR, spectrophotometry, and gel electrophoresis. Beyond the cell and molecular biology skills we learned how to navigate through the ever-changing and unpredictable workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. From this we were able to assist the company in providing assays globally to detect Sars-CoV-2. The skills learned throughout our internship allows us to not only know information learned in the PSM program but be able to execute it comfortably in a professional laboratory environment.
Biotechnology Internship with Empirical Bioscience
Internships at certain research institutes or industries is an integral part of the Cell and Molecular Biology Professional Science Master’s (PSM) program. It is important to achieve hands-on experience in professional lab settings to gain cell and molecular biology techniques as well as develop professional relationships, effective and efficient leadership abilities, and communication skills. Our internship at Empirical Bioscience, a biotechnology company based in Grand Rapids, offered the opportunity to gain all the skills above by assisting with manufacturing and quality control of their products. More specifically, they manufacture reagents for commercial, research and educational use and most recently, a COVID-19 assay kit that detects Sars-CoV-2. The challenges posed during our internship included a fast-pace environment, learning to work independently and proactively, ability to multitask, and demonstrate critical thinking and troubleshooting skills to meet the demands of the high rate of COVID-19 cases. During our experience we gained skills in micro-pipetting, aseptic technique, large scale cell culture, protein production and purification, PCR, qPCR, RT-qPCR, spectrophotometry, and gel electrophoresis. Beyond the cell and molecular biology skills we learned how to navigate through the ever-changing and unpredictable workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. From this we were able to assist the company in providing assays globally to detect Sars-CoV-2. The skills learned throughout our internship allows us to not only know information learned in the PSM program but be able to execute it comfortably in a professional laboratory environment.