BioTech Primer, Inc. and UMBI Offer 2-Day BioBasics Briefing, April 7 & 8

BALTIMORE, MD – To educate the non-scientific workforce operating in or interacting with the biotech arena, the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) and BioTech Primer, Inc. have joined forces to provide a two-day Bioimmersion briefing in Baltimore Maryland. The training is targeted to provide non-science professionals with a basic understanding of biotechnology terms, techniques, and applications. The program will be held on April 7th and 8th at Columbus Center located at 701 East Pratt Street in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

“This is just one of many educational efforts UMBI supports to provide the workforce of Maryland with the tools they need to operate effectively within the biotechnology community,” said Dr. Jennie Hunter-Cevera, President of UMBI. “This particular briefing is especially useful to finance, human resources, and public relations professionals working within this industry sector, as well as the media, economic development, legal, and architectural representatives that regularly interact with this scientific and business community. I encourage Maryland employers to invest in their employees, and take advantage of this informative program.”

Maryland’s specialized BioBasics briefing will introduce participants to the basic biological concepts and vocabulary that are fundamental to the biotechnology industry. These concepts will then be expanded upon to include the techniques and products that are the result of cutting-edge science. Participants will learn about proteomics, genomics, immunology, tissue culture, bio-manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, biologics, diagnostics and biotechnology-related devices. Interwoven into the scientific presentation will be the ethical and legal considerations that must be addressed by policy makers and company executives to ensure acceptance of biotechnology by the public. Hands on activities support and enhance the learning experience, while a take home reference manual packed with scientific information and a glossary of scientific terms and three month supply of “ask the expert” support, ensure continued learning, and overall success.

The instructors for the April 7th & 8th session are Dr. Holly Cymet, a former faculty member of Merrimack College in Massachusetts and current faculty member at Morgan State University, and Dr. Collins Jones, currently the coordinator for the Biotechnology Program at Montgomery College, and as an adjunct professor and advisor to the Biotechnology Masters Degree program offered at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Cymet received her Ph.D. in Biophysics from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and continues her scientific research in the field of structural biology. Dr. Jones, prior to his appointment at Montgomery College, spent nearly ten years as a researcher at the National Institutes of Health.

“Our two-day intensive program is designed to give employees the additional scientific understanding they need to meet their daily work demands,” said Stacey Franklin, co-founder of Biotech Primer and a former high school science teacher. “A basic understanding of scientific terms and applications can make an immeasurable difference in your ability to communicate effectively with this growing scientific and business community.”
Continental breakfast, lunch, and afternoon refreshments are included in the cost of the program, which is $945, or $845 for Greater Baltimore Committee and Technology Council of Maryland members. For more information on this program visit www.biotechprimerinc.com or call 410-377-4429.

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Celebrating our 20th anniversary year, UMBI is the first and only biotechnology research institute within the University System of Maryland and was established in 1985. The University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) consists of five major research and education centers and is dedicated to advancing the frontiers of biotechnology. UMBI’s centers of research include: CARB, the Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology located in Rockville; CBR, the Center for Biosystems Research located in College Park; and COMB, the Center of Marine Biotechnology, MBC, the Medical Biotechnology Center, and IHV, the Institute of Human Virology, all located in Baltimore. For more information, visit www.umbi.umd.edu