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Biotechnology Program

Start Your Career in Biotechnology at GCC

Learn the tools you’ll need to enter the field of biotechnology and molecular biology with our Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Biotechnology and Molecular Biosciences. In addition to the usual foundation coursework in general biology and chemistry, the AAS curriculum includes three semesters of intensive lab courses (BIO208, BIO209, BIO210). Early in their academic journey GCC's biotechnology students have the opportunity to use the equipment and learn techniques to which university students do not generally have access until their junior or senior year. From the first day of class, biotechnology students learn how to conduct lab research using industry-standard techniques.

Skills and techniques you'll learn in the Biotechnology program include:

  • Cell and tissue culturing
  • DNA identification and extraction
  • DNA fingerprinting
  • Molecular cloning
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
  • Protein isolation and analysis

The Biotechnology program culminates with an integrated two-semester independent research experience; some students have done their projects in our state of the art biotechnology lab and others have opted for internship experiences with local research employers like TGen, Barrows Neurological Institute, and Skysong or grant-funded summer research experiences out of state. GCC’s biotechnology students have presented their work at a variety of regional and national scientific meetings where they typically stand shoulder to shoulder with graduate students and principal investigators. This repository in the GCC library provides a digitized archive of some of our students’ posters and papers.

University Transfer Options

Arizona Universities:

ASU West and GCC have partnered together to develop a seamless transfer from the AAS in Biotechnology and Molecular Biosciences to a Bachelor of Applied Science degree (BAS) with a focus on Cell and Molecular Biology Research. This unique AAS -> BAS pathway allows students interested in molecular biosciences to develop state-of-the-art “bench skills” and research experience in GCC’s biotechnology lab and continue to take some upper division courses (300 and 400 level) at the university in such specialties as genetics, cell biology and biochemistry to round out their program of study. And having ASU West so close by means you can complete your bachelor’s degree without ever leaving the West Valley. 

ASU, NAU and U of A all offer a variety of other biology-related degrees. If you are fairly certain that transfer to another Arizona university is your goal, you may want to pursue an Associate in Science (AS), Emphasis in Biological Sciences to maximize the number of required courses you will complete during your time at GCC. Please consult a STEM advisor to plan a program of study that is most appropriate for your interests and aspirations. 

Career Paths

Graduates of the Biotechnology program have gone on to careers as medical research lab technicians and assistants, forensic scientists, and scientists who conduct drug discovery/testing, agricultural biotechnology, and environmental cleanup and remediation. After completing their bachelor's, others have gone on to medical and pharmacy school or to pursue a Master's or doctoral degree. General information about employment prospects for biological technicians can be found on the CareerOneStop website. You can also use their career exploration tool to search for similar information about careers requiring more advanced education, like molecular and cellular biologists.

Biotechnology Club

The Biotechnology Club is a student-led extracurricular organization that meets twice a month to bring together individuals who have an interest in biotechnology. The club is open to anyone, regardless of their major. In addition to providing a venue to socialize with peers about a shared passion, the club works to connect students with professionals working in the field. Although they currently meet virtually, in the past, the group has organized field trips and “teas” (usually pizza) with seminar speakers.

Biotechnology Seminar

Biotechnology faculty organize a Friday seminar, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. throughout the academic year. Although they are offered as part of a 1-credit class (BIO211++), the seminars are open on a drop-in basis to anyone interested in attending. Guest speakers in the recent past have included scientists affiliated with ASU, U of A, GCC, Midwestern University, BioAccel, Barrow Neurological Institute, Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI), NIH, Pinnacle Transplant, OncoMyx Therapeutics, TGen and ASU Biodesign Center. The seminar schedule is announced on GCC’s Calendar.