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Looking for an exciting career?
A career in industrial microbiology/biotechnology may be justthe one for you. Te following information answers questions
most people have about this exciting and challenging career
path:
• What is industrial microbiology/biotechnology?
• What kind of work does an industrial microbiologist do?
• What training and education are required to succeed
in industrial microbiology/ biotechnology?
• Why should someone consider a career in industrialmicrobiology/biotechnology?
What is industrial microbiology/biotechnology?
Industrial microbiology or microbial biotechnology is the ap-
plication of scientific and engineering principles to the pro-
cessing of materials by microorganisms (such as bacteria,
fungi, algae, protozoa and viruses) or plant and animal cells to
create useful products or processes. Te microorganisms uti-
lized may be natural isolates, laboratory selected mutants or
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microbes that have been genetically engineered using recom-
binant DNA methods. Te terms “industrial microbiology”
and “biotechnology” are oen one and the same.Areas of industrial microbiology include quality assur-
ance for the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries.
Industrial microbiologists may also be responsible for air
and plant contamination, health of animals used in testing
products, and discovery of new organisms and pathways. For
instance, most antibiotics come from microbial fermentationsinvolving a group of organisms called actinomycetes. Other
organisms such as yeasts are used in baking, in the produc-
tion of alcohol for beverages, and in fuel production (gasohol).
Additional groups of microorganisms form products that
range from organic acids to enzymes used to create various
sugars, amino acids, and detergents. For example, the sweet-ener aspartame is derived from amino acids produced by
microorganisms.
Industrial microbiologists may also deal with products
associated with the food and dairy industries, with the pre-
vention or deterioration of processed or manufactured goods,and with waste disposal systems. For more in-depth coverage
of topics in industrial microbiology, you may want to exam-
ine the Society for Industrial Microbiology’s peer-reviewed
Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology and its
homepage www.simhq.org.
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What kind of work does an industrialmicrobiologist do?
When choosing a career in industrial microbiology or biotech-
nology, you should be prepared to embrace a multidisciplinary
science. Very rarely will challenges be unidirectional, but rath-
er will require investigation of several aspects of a process or
production problem. In such circumstances, you will oen
need skills and expertise in additional fields such as molecularbiology, bioengineering, or biochemistry.
Many industrial microbiologists/biotechnologists are re-
sponsible for the discovery, development, or implementation
of certain processes and the quality of resultant products:
Antibiotics/Antimicrobials
Both natural and chemically enhanced micro-
bial products can be used to control human,
animal, and plant diseases. Using traditional
genetics or recombinant DNA techniques, the
microorganisms can be modified to improve the yield oraction of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents. New
research directions are aimed at discovering microbial
metabolites (with pharmacological activities) useful in the
treatment of hypertension, obesity, coronary heart dis-
ease, cancer, and inflammation.
Vaccines
Vaccines are essential to protect humans and
animals from microbial diseases. Recombinant
DNA technology has allowed for the produc-
tion of vaccines that offer protection withoutrisk of infection (e.g. hepatitis B vaccine). New vaccines are
being developed by industrial microbiolgists every day.
Health-care products
The development and production of diagnosticassays that utilize monoclonal antibody or DNA
probe technology are essential in the manufac-
ture of health-care products such as rapid tests
for strep throat, pregnancy, and AIDS. Microorganisms are
also used to produce human or animal biologicals such as
insulin, growth hormone, and antibodies. The industrial
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improve plant yields and to serve as plant pest controls. All
of these require a microbiolgist to insure product efficacy
and quality.
Enzymes
Industrial applications of enzymes include the
production of cheese, the clarification of apple
juice, the development of more efficient laun-dry detergents, pulp and paper production,
and the treatment of sewage. These processes have been
dramatically enhanced by the use of recombinant DNA
techniques to design enzymes of increased activity, stabil-
ity, and specificity.
Carbohydrates
Some molecular sieves for purification/separa-
tion processes (e.g., dextran) and thickening
agents (e.g., xanthan used in salad dressings),
which are stable at high temperatures, are ex-amples of microbial carbohydrates. The latter are also used
for secondary oil recovery in oil fields and as lubricants in
drilling oil wells, gelling agents in foods, and thickeners in
both paints and foods.
Organic chemicals
Compounds such as acetone, methanol, buta-
nol, and ethanol have multiple applications in
industrial settings, often as raw materials for in-
dustrial processes. The microbiolgist is involved
in research on improvements in the production and detec-tion of new metabolic pathways. Microbes will increasing-
ly be used to supplant or replace those processes which
rely on petroleum/natural gas for the production of these
compounds.
Oil recovery/mining
Oil recovery may be facilitated by the devel-
opment of unique bacteria which produce a
surfactant that forces trapped oil out of rocks.
Extraction of minerals from low-grade ores is
enhanced by some bacteria (microbial leaching). In addi-
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What training and education arerequired to succeed in industrial
microbiology/ biotechnology?
High school students interested in a career in industrial mi-
crobiology/biotechnology should take college preparatory
courses in mathematics, physics, biology, and chemistry. You
may become a skilled technician through on-the-job training,but many organizations require that a technician take career-
related college level courses in order to advance to higher pay-
ing technical positions. Overall, employment opportunities
in industrial microbiology/biotechnology are very limited for
high school graduates.
Although many high school programs now offer formal
microbiology/biotechnology instruction you will probably
have to participate in extra-curricular activities (e.g. science
fair projects or individualized study programs guided by your
teacher or a scientist in the community) to supplement the ma-terial covered in these courses. Further exposure to industrial
microbiology may be obtained by working during the summer
in an industrial, university, or hospital microbiology laborato-
ry. Your guidance counselor may also be helpful in identifying
college, industry, and government sponsored summer enrich-
ment programs for high school or undergraduate students.
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American Institute of
Chemical Engineers
3 Park AvenueNew York, NY 10016-5991
Phone (General inquiries): 800-
242-4363
Phone (International calls):
212-591-8100
Fax: 212-591-8888Web: www.aiche.org
American Petroleum Institute
1220 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005-4070
Phone: 202-682-8000Web: www.api.org
American Society for
Microbiology
1752 N Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036-2904Phone: 202-737-3600
Web: www.asm.org
BIOTECanada
130 Albert Street, Suite 420
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4CANADA
Phone (Ontario): 613-230-5585
Phone: (Toronto): 416-979-
2652
Fax: 613-563-8850
Email: [email protected]: www.biotech.ca
Institute of Food
Technologists
525 W. Van Buren,Ste. 1000
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: 312-782-8424
Fax: 312-782-8348
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ift.org/cms/
Society for Industrial
Microbiology
3929 Old Lee Highway
Suite 92A
Fairfax, VA 22030-2421Phone: 703-691-3357
Fax: 703-691-7991
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.simhq.org
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Prepared by the Education Committee
Society for Industrial Microbiology 2007.
Copyright ©2007 Society for Industrial Microbiology