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What is Biotechnology?

Biotechnology, in the simplest and broadest sense, is a series of enabling technologies which involve the manipulation of living organisms or their subcellular components to provide useful products, processes, or services.

The strength of this definition is its inclusiveness for it permits the coming together of fields as diverse as molecular biology and practical agriculture, vaccine development and pollution control, sustainable agriculture and chemical engineering. Biotechnology is a broad umbrella encompassing the polarities of fundamental and applied research. Some of the technologies that fall under this umbrella are:

• recombinant DNA techniques;
   
• gene transfer within and between microbes, plants and animals;
   
• animal embryo manipulation and transfer;
   
• plant regeneration;
   
• cell culturing;
   
• monoclonal anti-body production and bioprocess engineering.

Although biotechnology in the broadest sense in not new, what is new is the level of complexity and precision involved in scientists’ current ability to manipulate living organisms. The new biotechnology is an integrated, multidisciplinary field which is having a profound impact in a variety of areas. In the last decade biotechnology has developed into a major growth industry in California. This development has permeated the areas of pharmaceuticals for human and animal healthcare, the chemical and energy industries agriculture and the food industry and increasingly, as we approach a more-crowded, over-demanding new century, the environment. More and more industries are turning to biotechnology in order to improve their products and make the manufacture process easier, cleaner and more cost effective. This trend has created an ever-increasing job market for individuals trained in biotechnology. Furthermore, graduates trained in the technologies designed for biotechnology will find their training applicable to advanced research in molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, and the plant and animal sciences.

Biotechnology at UC Davis

UC Davis has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the world’s leading institutions for research in biological sciences. The diversity of expertise among the many faculty marries the most fundamental science to mission-oriented research. UC Davis could be said to be one of the few campuses in the U.S. which houses leading departments in each of the major areas where biotechnology has a significant impact: agriculture covering plant, animal, microbial science, entomology and sustainability; medicine and veterinary medicine including therapeutics, diagnostics and pathology; food science; bioprocess technology and environmental science.

Research in molecular and cellular biology and biochemistry has led to the development of new research approaches and the new tools of biotechnology. UC Davis has an unusually strong potential for applying the novel technologies in the integrated way to meet the needs of California, as well as to meet the needs of the nation and the rest of the world.

We view these recent research results as part of a progressive cycle, with technology contributing to the advancement of research goals and biological research contributing, in turn, to the advancement of technology.

UC Davis has also a well established history of inter-disciplinary research cooperation among its diverse departments, organized units, and programs. For example, the graduate programs in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, and Plant Physiology all are administered by "graduate groups" rather than through individual departments.

Research Programs

Research programs of relevance to biotechnology are found in the College of Biological Sciences, the School of Veterinary Medicine, the School of Medicine, the College of Engineering, and the College of Letters and Science as well as in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The diversity of biotechnology research and education on the UC Davis campus is reflected in the efforts of individual laboratories or small collaborative groups focused on:

• study of the fundamental mechanisms of biological systems;
   
• development of vectors for recombinant DNA technologies;
   
• study of the molecular biology of microbes instrumental in applications such as biomass conversions and fermentations;
   
• creation of transformation and regeneration strategies for agriculturally important plants;
   
• improvement of somaclonal propagation techniques;
   
• development of disease-, insect- and nematode-resistant plants and biotechnological pest control systems;
   
• enhancement of crop traits including stress-tolerance, cereal germination, storage protein quality and control of senescence in fruits, vegetables and ornamentals;
   
• development of protocols using pronuclear and embryonic stem cell microinjection for the production of transgenic animals;
   
• adaptation of oligonucleotide probes and Polymerase Chain Reaction technology to monitor important traits in plants and animals;
   
• development of bioassay systems in food science and environmental toxicology;
   
• development of systems for the production of novel products by plant cells;
   
• development of bioprocess and fermentation technologies for prokaryotic and eucaryotic production systems.
   

Research activities within the School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine also focus on:

• applications of recombinant DNA technologies and monoclonal antibody technologies to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases;
   
• elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of development, pathology, and of immunity;
   
• detection of genetic disease using oligonucleotide probes;
   
• generation of transgenic animal models to study gene function and pathologies
   
• development of molecular mechanisms to study and treat subcellular abnormalities such as cancer and autoimmune diseases
   
• development of immunotherapies and the bioengineering of viral and bacterial vaccines;
   
• construction of antiviral and antimicrobial agents.

The Biotechnology Program has compiled a UC Davis Biotechnology Faculty Directory which describes the interests of over 270 faculty engaged in biotechnology-related research. Copies of the directory may be obtained by calling or writing to the Biotechnology Program Office. In addition to individual research projects, as described in the directory, interdisciplinary and intercollegiate research and training programs are being organized with the assistance of the Biotechnology Program.  Once an area of research is identified, based on existing strengths within the college, the Biotechnology Office offers assistance in the proposal-writing process, as well as in other ways which might facilitate the organization of the research groups and resulting programs such as providing information regarding possible sources of funding for the proposals.

Research Centers and Facilities

The establishment of new disciplinary centers for biological sciences enhances the interactions of faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and students thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the Biotechnology Program.

• Partnership for Plant Genomics Education (PPGE)
   
• Center for AIDS Research
   
• Center for Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
   
• Center for Structural Biology
   
• Center for Neurobiology
   
• Center for Comparative Medicine
   
• California Regional Primate Research Center
   
• Cancer Center
   
• California Institute of Food and Agricultural Research (CIFAR)
   
• Center for Ecological Health Research
   
• UC Davis Genome Center
   
• Center of Excellence in Nutritional Genomics
   
• Center for Biophotonics, Science and Technology (CBST)
   
• Mouse Biology Program
   
• Nanomaterials in the Environment, Agriculture, and Technology (NEAT) Organized Research Unit (ORU)

There are several facilities available on the Davis Campus which offer specialized instrumentation or services to researchers in biotechnology and biotechnology-related areas:

• Protein Structure Laboratory
   
• NMR Facility
   
• Animal Resource Services
   
• Transgenic Animal Facility
   
• Hybridoma and Cell Engineering Laboratory
   
• Facility for Advanced Instrumentation
   
• Image Processing Facility
   
• Plant Growth Chambers
   
• Flow Cytometery Facility
   

Training and Education Programs

Undergraduate and graduate students attending UC Davis select from several discipline-oriented majors to acquire the diverse scientific backgrounds necessary for careers associated with biotechnology. The Program administers a Training Grant in Biotechnology for graduate students which incorporates an industrial training component. The Program also interacts with the Career Planning and Placement Office by sharing information regarding industrial internships. These provide for students valuable exposure to industrial equipment and processes not ordinarily encountered in the university laboratory. The program was instrumental in developing a biotechnology major a key component of which is an industry internship. The BAC provides information regarding the technical skills sought by the biotechnology industry.

This information is used by faculty committees developing BS and MS degree requirements. In-service training for faculty, staff, Cooperative Extension personnel and postdoctoral scholars and also for company scientists is offered by the Program through courses such as Advances in PCR Techniques and Molecular Diagnostics. The Biotechnology Program has also developed biotechnology-related programs for high school and community college teachers in conjunction with University Extension.

University - Industry Relationships

The Biotechnology Program promotes national and international industrial support of research consonant with the University missions of teaching, research and public service. The program facilitates:

• University-industry research collaborations;
   
• Trainee exchange programs with industry;
   
• Direct funding of research through contracts and grants;
   
• Gifts and endowments for research and education;
   
• University-industry exchange programs and student internships;
   
• Co-sponsorship of specialized programs designed by the University for continuing education;
   
• Organizing conferences and workshops on biotechnology research and related issues.

Keeping the Public Informed

The Program has developed an outreach initiative, in conjunction with Cooperative Extension, for informing the public of current biotechnology research and its applications and possible implications. The Biotechnology Program interacts closely with the UC Davis News Service to provide information to the public regarding biotechnology research on campus. The Biotechnology Office also assists in directing questions regarding biotechnology to the appropriate expert sources for clarification or advice. The Program is happy to facilitate visitors to the campus who wish to see biotechnology research and related activities at UC Davis.

The Future

The power, potential and promise of biotechnology has, in less than two decades, stirred worldwide interest in the application of this technology and its products for the improvement of the global environment and the quality of plant, animal and human life. Universities, industries, governments, foundations and international organizations are creating new opportunities for research, development and applications of biotechnology. Biotechnology will continue to have increasingly marked effect on health by improving disease prevention, detection and treatment; on agriculture through the development of more efficient production techniques for, and improved quality of, crops and animals; on industrial operations by introducing exciting opportunities for innovation in new product development and differentiation, cost reduction and creation of novel production and processing methods; and on the environment by reducing dependency on non-renewable resources, improving recycling techniques, effectively handling pollution and significantly reducing ground water contamination. There will be numerous challenges in the future for the researcher and producer to use the tools of biotechnology in fashioning a better world for all. The Biotechnology Program is providing a vehicle for UC Davis’ contribution to this exciting venture.

How to find us...

From San Francisco

• Take HWY 80 east.
   
• Turn off at HWY 113 north (toward Woodland).
   
• Take the Hutchison Dr. Exit.
   
• Merge right onto Hutchison Dr.
   
• Follow Hutchison Dr. through Traffic Signal (cross street La Rue).
   
• After next stop light, turn left into parking structure OR continue until next stop sign, then turn right into Parking Lot #41.
   
• Do NOT park in metered spots if you have a parking permit issued by the Biotechnology Program.
   
• Life Sciences building (LSA) is located north across Hutchison Drive.
   
• Use the main entrance at the SW corner of the building and go down one floor.
   
• We are located within the Division of Biological Sciences Dean's Office (202 LSA). Please ask the receptionist to notify the Biotechnology Program that you have arrived.

From Sacramento

• Take HWY 80 West.
   
• Turn off at HWY 113 North (toward Woodland).
   
• Take the Hutchison Dr. Exit.
   
• Merge right onto Hutchison Dr.
   
• Follow Hutchison Dr. through Traffic Signal (cross street La Rue).
   
• After next stop light, turn left into parking structure OR continue until next stop sign, then turn right into Parking Lot #41.
   
• Do NOT park in metered spots if you have a parking permit issued by the Biotechnology Program.
   
• Life Sciences building is located north across Hutchison Drive.
   
• Use the main entrance at the SW corner of the building and go down one floor.
   
• We are located within the Division of Biological Sciences Dean's Office (202 LSA). Please ask the receptionist to notify the Biotechnology Program that you have arrived.

From Sacramento Airport

• Take I-5 north to Woodland.
   
• In Woodland, follow signs to HWY 113 south (toward Davis).
   
• Take the Hutchison Dr. exit off of HWY 113.
   
• Make left onto Hutchison Dr.
   
• Follow Hutchison Dr. through Traffic Signal (cross street La Rue).
   
• After next stop light, turn left into parking structure OR continue until next stop sign, then turn right into Parking Lot #41.
   
• Do NOT park in metered spots if you have a parking permit issued by the Biotechnology Program.
   
• Life Sciences building (LSA) is located north across Hutchison Drive.
   
• Use the main entrance at the SW corner of the building and go down one floor.
   
• We are located within the Division of Biological Sciences Dean's Office (202 LSA). Please ask the receptionist to notify the Biotechnology Program that you have arrived.

If you are flying into Sacramento International Airport, you can call the Davis Airporter (a shuttle service between Sacramento Airport and Davis) at 800-565-5153 to arrange transportation to and from campus. Please call 24 hours prior to arrival. The shuttle will meet you at the terminal. To board the Davis Airporter, follow the signs to the transportation exit for "taxis, limos, and shuttles." The Davis Airporter is a blue van with white lettering "Davis Airporter" on the sides. The cost is $18 one way or $33 round trip.

UC Davis campus map
City of Davis map

Accomodations

In the Davis area, short-term housing is available in motels, bed and breakfast inns, campgrounds, and summer residence halls. This page can assist you in finding short-term housing while visiting UC Davis and the Davis community. Because the information listed may change at any time, we ask that you confirm accommodations and rates prior to making reservations. Please note that the rates do not include tax and may vary according to the number of occupants. The Biotechnology Program does not inspect the accommodations, nor does it make recommendations. Most of the following accommodations give University discounts, so indicate your affiliation or that you are attending a University event!

• Comfort Suites
   
• Econo Lodge
   
• University Park Inn
   
• Palm Court (Best Western)
   
• Motel 6
   
• Hallmark Inn
   
• University Lodge (Best Western)
   
• Holiday Inn Express
   
• Aggie Inn
   
BED AND BREAKFAST INNS
 
• Davis Bed 'N Breakfast
   
• University Inn