Master of Science in Biotechnology

A world-class curriculum fusing science, business and law

Transform your career in

the field that’s transform

ing our world.

www.ms-biotech.wisc.edu

T he M a s T er of science in Bio T echnol ogy Biotechnology continues to spur breathtaking discoveries and life-saving innovations. But to realize its full potential, the industry needs equally innovative leaders—professionals who combine the skills of scientist, business strategist and public policy advocate. Success in biotechnology demands cross-functional expertise and global vision—strengths the Master of Science in Biotechnology program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison forges in its students.

De signeD for youDrawing on the resources of a global leader in biotechnology and translational research, we’ve designed the M.S. in Biotechnology for biotech professionals who are ready to broaden their understanding and skills—and advance in their careers. If you’re a practicing scientist, technical professional, attorney or business/operations strategist who’s poised to move into a position of greater responsibility, we’ve built the program with you in mind.

You’ll participate in convenient evening and weekend courses scheduled to accommodate challenging careers and family lives. You’ll benefit from expert instruction, personalized career resources and technical support focused on one goal—helping you achieve the maximum return on your investment.

rel e va n T, re a l , re wa rDingThe M.S. in Biotechnology begins each fall with a class of up to 30 students. This group works together closely over the next two years, sharing experiences and forging lasting bonds. To ensure enriching and varied perspectives, we select students from a broad range of professional backgrounds.

The learning environment benefits from a unique level of academic and industrial collaboration. We draw leading-edge content from the UW’s highly ranked schools of law, medicine, business, pharmacy, engineering, and agricultural and life sciences. And through our affiliations with University Research Park, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation—the University’s patenting and licensing agency—and the Biopharmaceutical Technology Center Institute, we give students an insider’s look at emerging technologies and start-up companies.

All courses are team-taught by world-class UW faculty and instructors from Wisconsin’s biotechnology corridor—one of the nation’s most dynamic. As a student, you receive an unmatched foundation in concept and theory—enhanced by real-world industry perspectives that balance research and application.

Coursework creates rich opportunities to test and strengthen skills in teamwork, communication and problem solving. As you learn about the challenges faced by today’s biotechnology industry, you gain skills and knowledge that enhance your on-the-job performance and lay the groundwork for advancement.

The results

of the M

.S. in Biotechnology a

re

real and lastin

g. Ninety p

ercent o

f students

cite a “

significan

t or co

nsiderable” im

pact

on their c

areers e

ven before they g

raduate

.

After g

raduatio

n, particip

ants advan

ce

quickly i

n their c

areers—

most notably i

n

product development an

d technologica

l

entrepreneursh

ip.

sTraTegy

“The course

s in th

e M.S. in

Biotechnology were th

e

most applied I h

ave ever ta

ken—and that d

irect

applicatio

n has been incre

dibly valu

able. Whether

you’re in a small

start-u

p based on universit

y researc

h

or a global p

harmace

utical co

mpany, a lot o

f concepts

are sh

ared—if y

ou know how to

identify th

e common

factors.

The program has d

efinitely give

n me a

competitive ad

vantag

e for g

rowth in my care

er

and salary

.”

scott yoder, c

lass of 2005

Program Manager

hospira inc.

innovaTion

“The M.S. in

Biotechnology pave

d the

way for ad

vancement in

my care

er in ste

m

cell researc

h. The program gave

me an

in-depth understanding of th

e business o

f

biotech that h

as been inval

uable as new

discoveries c

ontinue to re

volutionize

the field.

Blending this b

usiness k

nowledge with my

technical back

ground has give

n me a broad

perspectiv

e that e

nables me to

succe

ed at the

bench, in product d

evelopment and now in

direct work w

ith custo

mers.”

Maya fuerstenau-sharp, class of 2008

senior Product Development specialist

cellular Dynamics international

y e a r i fa l l : T echnol ogy a sse ssMen TThe program begins with an emphasis on technology assessment. In addition to these courses, you’ll work as part of a team on a semester-long technology assessment project that puts everything you’ve learned into practice.

Intellectual Property, Patents and Licensing. Intellectual property and patent law have influenced—and been influenced by—the development and commercialization of advances in biotechnology. This course presents important core concepts, including intellectual property, patent law, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing and patent litigation. You’ll learn about the types of intellectual property and how they fit together to protect a product or service. You’ll understand the fundamentals of licensing and technology transfer and the important role of patent examiners. You’ll also explore the unique aspects of early-stage intellectual property, including market dynamics, pricing and valuation. Throughout the course, you’ll develop a deeper awareness of how intellectual property and its protection interact with business, finance, regulation and ethics to shape biotechnology companies.

Business of Biotechnology: Fundamentals. There are major challenges inherent in translating scientific discoveries into business success. This course explores how core business principles apply to the operation of biotechnology companies. You’ll learn the difference between scientific and commercial opportunities and gain insights into the challenge of balancing product usefulness with positive return on investment. You’ll learn how to assess a technology in terms of market and feasibility and use appropriate financial tools to evaluate investments and measure overall progress. You’ll integrate what you’ve learned by conducting an opportunity assessment for a candidate technology.

Molecular Technologies I. Here students play the role of staff scientists evaluating the technical merits and feasibility of competing molecular technologies. The innovative curriculum focuses on biotechnology methods and practice, effective written and oral scientific communication, genetic mutation detection and the role of automation in biotechnology. In hands-on laboratory sessions, you’ll perform nucleic acid purification, quantitation and analysis, and PCR and RT-PC-based analyses. You’ll enhance your working understanding of molecular biology and biotechnology with training in scientific communication. You’ll learn how to maintain a laboratory notebook, write strong essays and papers, give effective presentations, write technical protocols, and plan and prepare laboratory meetings and team presentations.

Biotechnology Regulation and Ethics. Since biotechnology emerged as an industry, political and ethical legal issues have shaped its development. This course will expose you to some of the most important areas of regulation, including FDA oversight of gene therapy and drug, device and biologics development; EPA/USDA regulation of agricultural applications of biotechnology; federal regulation of genetic testing services; and the politics and regulation of embryonic stem cell research. You’ll learn how regulation is developed and how it interacts with business and finance to influence the formation and growth of biotechnology companies. You’ll also explore the ethical issues that help shape public policies on biotechnology and its applications.

grounDBreaking

curriculuM

The fast-pace

d curric

ulum of the M

.S. in Biotechnology

program is

unique in its fully

integrated approach

.

By fusin

g science, busin

ess and law

, the program

create

s

a well-ro

unded educational e

xperience that p

rovides a

comprehensive vie

w of product d

evelopment and delive

ry.

All course

s are built a

round team

projects an

d extensive

written an

d oral communica

tion exercis

es.

y e a r i sP ring: P roDuc T De v el oP Men TIn the second semester, you’ll build on previous coursework and gain in-depth exposure to regulatory affairs, quality assurance and biomanufacturing.

Biotechnology Operations. To succeed, biotechnology companies must juggle a host of complex technological and managerial functions. This course takes a close-up look at seven interdependent functional specialties key to developing products for human health: regulatory affairs, quality assurance, biomanufacturing, quality control, non-clinical development, clinical development and project management. You’ll understand how companies plan, manage, coordinate and synchronize these disciplines to support a specific marketing plan—and how the underlying principals and practices are relevant to product development in other areas of biotechnology. You’ll also learn how to design a development strategy, communicate objectives and lead a team through implementation.

Molecular Technologies II. This second laboratory-intensive course explores biotechnologies with research, industrial and diagnostic applications—with a special emphasis on nucleic acid and protein analysis in diverse areas of biotechnology. Classroom and lab activities include gene cloning, protein expression and purification on a manufacturing scale; the detection of genetically modified organisms and its implications for science and society; automation in biotechnology, and human genetic identity and its role in forensics. You’ll also hear guest lectures on directed evolution through protein engineering and DNA, protein and cell microarrays. The biomanufacturing laboratory component highlights many of the topics covered in Biotechnology Operations.

y e a r ii fa l l : M a rk e T a sse ssMen T a nD P roDuc T Del i v er yThe three courses in this semester provide an overview of drug discovery and the process of taking new technologies to market. By blending science and business, you’ll gain a solid understanding of the complex management issues that can arise.

Early Drug Discovery. This in-depth course explores the complex process of drug discovery. Classroom and lab sessions will give you a comprehensive look at early-stage discovery—from disease mechanisms and target identification through formulation delivery and safety pharmacology. You’ll receive in-depth scientific information from faculty and special presenters from biotech firms, pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions. At the end of the course, you’ll understand the processes, technologies, scientific principles and major challenges of the early drug discovery process as it continues to evolve.

Molecular Technologies III. This powerful exploration of drug-discovery topics and concepts puts students in the role of scientists researching an inhibitor of Src Protein Kinase as a new drug therapy. Hands-on laboratory sessions cover state-of-the-art assays, methods and data analysis used in primary and advanced levels of drug screening. You’ll focus on detecting kinase activity as a model for a relevant drug target, evaluate the effect of two putative inhibitors identified from a compound library during an initial screen and assess how the identified inhibitors effects cytochrome P450 activity and cell viability. You’ll gain experience with basic cell culture techniques, stem cell biology, fluorescent microscopy and high content screening. And as you master course concepts and lab practices, you’ll also hone your scientific communication skills with short papers and a detailed scientific protocol.

Business of Biotechnology: Contemporary Challenges and Applications. It’s biotechnology’s biggest challenge—evaluating opportunities, selecting high-potential candidates and taking them to market successfully. This course examines the process every step of the way, building on the assessment tools from your first business course. You’ll learn how to evaluate the potential of a product or technology in light of the organizational resources required for full commercialization. From leadership, legal, finance and accounting to negotiation, licensing, product development and marketing, you’ll analyze the resources required to build and sustain a successful product or organization. Then you’ll use your knowledge to create a business development plan that assesses the feasibility and estimate the economic potential of a specific opportunity.

natalie Polinski, class of 2011

y e a r ii sP ring: f ron T iersThe unlimited potential of biotechnology comes with complex scientific, business and management challenges. In this final semester, you’ll complete a fully integrated capstone project that spans all three courses. You’ll select a technology, assess its business potential and explore the management issues that define its potential as a marketable product.

Business of Biotechnology: Frontiers and Strategies. Organizations spend significant time and resources attempting to map out effective strategies to outperform competitors and achieve lasting success. How does a firm choose which technologies to develop—and which strategic partners are the best fit? This course tackles critical management issues in the industry and explores how senior leaders manage knowledge, weigh bundles of potential opportunities, make choices and deal with uncertainty. By deepening your understanding of business strategies, you’ll be prepared to understand firm-level strategic development and apply strategy principles in day-to-day operations.

Advanced Biotechnology. This course is a capstone experience that challenges students to integrate and apply everything they’ve learned in the program to this point. You’ll participate with your colleagues in classroom activities focused on important global challenges in biotechnology today. You’ll also conduct independent research on a global issue that’s potentially beneficial to your career and employer. Through this advanced course, you’ll deepen your understanding of new technologies, broaden your awareness of international ethics and regulatory issues, and discover new opportunities for collaboration and entrepreneurship.

Project Management and Leadership. Empowering people and teams to work together is fundamental to personal and business success. This course explores project management as a “socio-technical media”—covering the technical, sociological and leadership skills that are critical to effective business, research, development, legal and global community relationships. You’ll integrate information and skills from your job and previous courses to respond to sample situations faced by biotechnology project managers. You’ll know how to design, use and defend a project management plan. You’ll also develop and test the skills needed to build and lead project teams of collaborators, partners, contractors, senior management and investors—helping them solve problems, make decisions and manage risk.

gloBal leaDershiP

“The M.S. in

Biotechnology gave

me the co

nfidence and

credential

s to develop my c

areer in

a new industr

y I’m

passionate

about. Every d

ay, th

e topics

we explored—

the science, th

e drug-development process,

the financial

implicatio

ns, the busin

ess plan

ning, the re

gulatory

framework,

the validatio

n of syste

ms and data

, and th

e

political a

nd socie

tal clim

ate—come into play

. They’re all

critica

l aspects of to

day’s g

lobal busin

ess enviro

nment.”

lynda Bader, class of 2004

Program Manager

covance

enTrePreneurshiP

“I faci

litate multim

illion-dollar

deals in th

e pharmace

utical

development space

—and I would never h

ave been eligible

for the positi

on without th

e MS in Biotechnology

program. Someone aske

d me how much of the co

ntent I

really use. I t

old them honestly

that I

use all of it

everyday.

The

perspectiv

es I gain

ed make every tran

sactio

n easier. I

have

complete autonomy in

my job, an

d because of th

e MS Biotech

credential

, people have a l

ot of fa

ith in my effo

rts an

d decisions.“

chuck Dokken, class of 2009

senior sales consultant

Beckman coulter genomics

l a s T ing Di v iDenDs for eMP l oy ersSupporting a student in the M.S. in Biotechnology program is an investment with significant benefits. The curriculum is based on world-class faculty expertise, significant market research and frequent engagement with the biotechnology industry. Throughout the program, students gain increased confidence, heightened critical thinking abilities and refined communication skills they can put to work immediately—not just after graduation.

Our graduates’ understanding of business strategy, sensitivity to bioethical issues and awareness of global markets helps them accelerate the development, launch and delivery of new and groundbreaking products. They—and their companies—also reap lasting rewards from a close network of professional peers spanning multiple facets of the biotechnology industry.

Abbott Laboratories Inc.AgTech Products Inc.American Consulting Inc.Astellas LLCAurora Healthcare Inc.Baxter HealthcareBeckman CoulterBio-Rad LaboratoriesBiotechnology Center, UW-MadisonBlood Center of Southeastern WisconsinCell Line GeneticsCellular Dynamics InternationalCIBC World MarketsCovance Inc.Danisco USADean HealthcareDepartment of Biochemistry, UW-MadisonDepartment of Genetics, UW-MadisonDepartment of Horticulture, UW-MadisonDepartment of Pharmacology, UW-MadisonDepartment of Psychiatry, UW-MadisonDow Chemical Corporation

EarthTechExact SciencesG.E. HealthcareGenome Center of WisconsinGenome International CorporationGenzyme Inc.GlaxoSmithKline Inc.Greenbrier & RusselHologic Inc.Hospira Inc.Invitrogen Inc.Laboratory for Molecular and Computational Genomics, UW-MadisonLaFollette, Godfrey & Kahn LLCLife Technologies CorporationLucigen Inc.McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, UW-MadisonMedical School, UW-MadisonMiniTube of AmericaMonsanto Corporation, Agracetus CampusMonsanto Corporation, Protein TechnologiesNational Primate Research Center, UW-Madison

Novagen, EMD BiosciencesPPD Inc.Pierce Biotechnology Inc.Platypus Technologies Inc.Prodesse Inc.Promega CorporationRoche NimblegenSt. Mary’s HospitalSchool of Pharmacy, UW-MadisonSAFC PharmaSpectrum Research Inc.Standard Process Inc.Stratatech CorporationStrategem Inc.Target CorporationThermoFischer ScientificUnited States Department of AgricultureUniversity of Wisconsin Hospitals and ClinicsVirtual Care Provider Inc.WiCell Research InstituteWisconsin Alumni Research FoundationWisconsin Entrepreneur’s NetworkWyeth Pharmaceuticals

worl D -cl a ss faculT y The University of Wisconsin-Madison is recognized internationally for faculty expertise and partnerships with industry. The M.S. in Biotechnology program builds on this collaborative tradition with a faculty of leading academic researchers and leaders in the biotechnology industry.

coMPa nie s w i T h P rogr a M Pa r T iciPa n T s

Richard L. Moss, Ph.D.Executive Director, Master of Science in Biotechnology Program; Senior Associate Dean for Basic Research, Biotechnology and Graduate Studies, UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health

Kurt J. Zimmerman, M.S.Director, Master of Science in Biotechnology Program

Natalie Betz, Ph.D.Faculty Associate and Assistant Director, Master of Science in Biotechnology Program

Karin Borgh, Ph.D.Adjunct Professor; Executive Director, Biopharmaceutical Technology Center Institute

Thomas J. Burke, Ph.D.Adjunct Professor; Director of Assay Development, Cellular Dynamics International Corporation

Mason Carpenter, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Strategic Management, UW-Madison School of Business

Gabriela S. Cezar, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Animal Sciences, UW-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

R. Alta Charo, J.D.Professor of Law and Bioethics, UW-Madison Law School and School of Medicine and Public Health

Anthony J. Clemento Jr., M.S. Adjunct Professor, UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health

Hansi J. Dean, Ph.D.Adjunct Professor; Director of New Alliances, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative

Hector F. Deluca, Ph.D.Harry Steenbock Research Professor, UW-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Randall P. Dunham, Ph.D.Professor of Management and Human Resources, UW-Madison School of Business

Phillip Greenwood, M.B.A., Ph.D.Senior Lecturer, UW-Madison School of Business

Michael Falk, J.D., M.B.A., M.S.Adjunct Professor; Chief of Staff and Chief Legal Counsel, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Jennifer Gottwald, Ph.D.Adjunct Professor; Licensing Manager, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Carl Gulbrandsen, Ph.D., J.D.Adjunct Professor; Managing Director, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Eugene M. McNally, Ph.D.Adjunct Professor; Executive Director, Product Development and Manufacturing, PPD Inc.

Anne S. Miner, M.B.A., Ph.D.Professor of Management and Human Resources, UW-Madison School of Business

R.D. Nair, Ph.D.Professor of Accounting and Information Systems, UW-Madison School of Business

Pilar Ossario, Ph.D.Professor of Law, UW-Madison Law School

David R. Piper, Ph.D.Adjunct Professor; Senior Manager, Research and Development, Life Technologies Corporation

Aric P. Rindfleisch, Ph.D.Professor of Marketing, UW-Madison School of Business

Michael Roy, Ph.D., RACAdjunct Professor; Senior Scientist, Science Applications International Corporation

Cheryl Scadlock, M.S.Faculty Associate; Information Specialist, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Richard Schifreen, Ph.D.Adjunct Professor; President and CEO, Platypus Technologies

Cheryl P. Vickroy, M.B.A.Adjunct Professor; Principal, The Bachner-Vickroy Group

Eric B. Vincent, Ph.D.Adjunct Professor; Product Manager, Promega Corporation

linda schrage, class of 2010

Progr a M sPecifics

w hen a nD w hereDesigned to meet the needs of working professionals, the two-year M.S. in Biotechnology curriculum integrates classroom material with day-to-day work challenges. Convenient evening and weekend sessions enable students to achieve a world-class degree from UW-Madison while working full time.

» Classes meet every other week on Thursday evening, all day Friday and Saturday morning.

» All courses are held in the state-of-the-art MG&E Innovation Center of University Research Park and the Biopharmaceutical Technology Center Institute on the southwest edge of Madison.

» Students accepted in the program agree to attend at least 14 class sessions each academic year in these locations.

» We provide customized services to help students balance education with their work and personal lives.

» All materials are available online—and IT technical support is available.

» Personalized career consultation helps students develop and meet their strategic career goals.

a DMission The M.S. in Biotechnology program is currently seeking applicants to begin studies in the fall semester. To be considered, you’ll need: » A four-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent academic

credentials, with a minimum of two semesters of biology or other related life science courses

» Relevant industry experience and/or project work » Three letters of recommendation » A personal or phone interview with the Admissions

Committee

The application deadline for fall admission is March 31, with interviews held with selected applicants. The M.S. in Biotechnology uses a rolling admissions process and may close the class before March 31 if all slots are filled. If spaces remain after March 31, the Admissions Committee will consider applications received later. Because each class is limited to 30 students, applying early increases your chances of being admitted. You’ll find the forms and information you need to apply at ms-biotech.wisc.edu.

T ui T ion a nD f ee sTuition for the two-year M.S. in Biotechnology program is $37,500. This total does not include books or software, most of which are available in educational versions at substantial discounts. We encourage students to use personal laptops for courses and team-based assignments. Tuition adjusts annually, so please visit ms-biotech.wisc.edu or contact the program office for up-to-date tuition and fee information.

vision

“The scope of th

e M.S. in

Biotechnology program

—

encompassing law

, business a

nd science—mad

e it

very appealin

g for m

e. Biotech drugs a

re the faste

st

growing—and maybe th

e only growing—are

a in

the pharmace

utical in

dustry. I

enrolled to positi

on

myself a

head of the cu

rve when th

e flood of new and

critica

lly importa

nt therapies h

its the mark

etplace.

The business,

drug discovery a

nd biotech operations

courses h

ave alr

eady b

een very h

elpful in my w

ork.”

ahmedfowz osmon, class of 2010

executive Pharmacist

Target corporation

aDvanceMenT

“The M.S. in

Biotechnology’s greate

st stre

ngth lies in

people—its am

azing fac

ulty, sta

ff and stu

dents. Each

group represents y

ears of experience th

at add re

al depth

to the program

.  The instr

uctors a

nd guest lectu

rers

brought an am

azing bread

th of knowledge. A

nd my

fellow classm

ates w

ere top-notch

—coming from va

ried

backgrounds w

ith a wealth

of experience. These are one-

of-a-kin

d connectio

ns that l

ast well p

ast grad

uation.”

amy hendricksen, class of 2010

Product Manager fo

r life science research unit

Promega

Bio T echnol ogy aT T he uni v ersi T y of w isconsin-M a DisonThe University of Wisconsin-Madison’s highly diverse concentration of bioscience expertise makes it a world leader in biotechnology, life science and medical research. Each year, the university spends more than $1 billion on research—an investment that ranks second among U.S. public universities—and generates results with far-reaching impact. From life-saving drugs that reduce high blood pressure to improvements in radiation therapy for cancer and a better solution for storing human organs awaiting transplant, UW-Madison technologies are improving health and health care worldwide.

UW-Madison Master of Science in Biotechnology ProgramKurt J. Zimmerman, M.S., Directorkjzimmerman@wisc.edu608-262-0685

510 Charmany Drive, Suite 171MG&E Innovation CenterMadison, WI 53719-1235

www.ms-biotech.wisc.edu