Bachelor of Science in Chemical Biology

Biology is not just for biologists anymore: chemists have crossed over into the field. Chemical biologists are at the forefront of many of the latest advances in science today. Their work touches nearly every aspect of our lives, including agriculture, biotechnology, and healthcare. They have analyzed DNA traces found during crime scene investigations, formulated insulin and other life-saving medicines, and have even designed yeastbased biosensors that sniff out explosives. There is an increasing need for scientists and technicians who are well versed in both biology and chemistry.

This dual knowledge - chemical biology - constitutes an emerging discipline that lies at the very core of the biotechnology industry.

Lawrence Technological University's Bachelor of Science in Chemical Biology responds to the growing demand for skilled scientists in the biomedical and biotechnology fields. It is designed to prepare you to enter this field with a strong background in both disciplines and a full appreciation of their interdependence.

The state of Michigan is devoting considerable resources to the development of a life sciences and biotechnology infrastructure. MichBio, a consortium of about 100 companies and educational institutions, has been established to facilitate the growth of biotechnology opportunities in Michigan. Lawrence Tech is an integral part of this effort and a member of MichBio.

While specialized training in chemical biology has been available at the graduate level for several decades, the chemical biology undergraduate program at
Lawrence Tech is the first in the Midwest and one of only a handful in the United States. With the completion of several genomesequencing projects, a new era of biology has emerged in which biomedical research and DNA and drug screening is routinely conducted at a scale that is several orders of magnitude larger than before. This trend has dramatically increased the demand for scientists who are knowledgeable in both chemistry and biology. Lawrence Tech's Bachelor of Science in Chemical Biology was created to meet this urgent need.

Changing Lives
A recent development in the production of flu vaccines demonstrates the importance of chemical biology. Since the 1950s, vaccines have been produced using viral growth in embryonated hen's eggs - a method that currently produces 300 million doses per year. However, it takes three to six months to develop a vaccine that is effective against a new strain of flu virus and this rate of turnover is too slow to deal with a pandemic flu outbreak.

In 2005, exploring chemistry to solve a biological problem, chemical biologists used caterpillars to develop a genetically engineered flu vaccine. Studies have shown this caterpillar flu vaccine to be more effective than the traditional vaccine. Furthermore, the rate of turnover is rapid - one to two months - and 900 million doses per year can be produced, which is enough to treat a pandemic. This is one of the many examples of how breakthroughs in the field of chemical biology are changing our lives for the better.

Questions?

For additional information, contact either Dr. Anthony Sky at 248-204-3603 or Dr. William Madden at 248-204-3606, or send e-mail to nschair@ltu.edu.