Florida Department of Education
Curriculum Framework 

Program Title:	Biotechnology Laboratory Specialist
Career Cluster:	Health Science

CCC	
CIP Number	0341010101	
Program Type	College Credit Certificate (CCC)	
Program Length	30 credit hours	
CTSO	HOSA, SkillsUSA	
SOC Codes (all applicable) 	Please see the CIP to SOC Crosswalk located at the link below.	
CTE Program Resources 	http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml 	

Purpose
This certificate program is part of the Biotechnology Laboratory Technology AS degree program (1341010100).   

A College Credit Certificate consists of a program of instruction of less than sixty (60) credits of college-level courses, which is part of an AS or AAS degree program and prepares students for entry into employment (Rule 6A-14.030, F.A.C.).

This program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Health Science career cluster; provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of Health Science career cluster. 

This program offers a sequence of Biotechnology, Chemistry, Statistics, and Health courses providing sound workforce content along with both academic preparation and industry-standard technical skills needed to advance education and careers in the biotechnology career cluster.  This certificate provides for development of technical ability, including competency-based applied learning to develop and enhance academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of the biotechnology career cluster. 

The content includes but is not limited to broad biology and chemistry concepts, statistical analysis, documentation procedures, basic and advanced laboratory techniques and concepts, working in a regulated environment, and biohazard and safety procedures.

Additional Information relevant to this Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is provided at the end of this document.

Standards

After successfully completing this program, the student will be able to perform the following:

01.0	Demonstrate communication skills. 
02.0	Demonstrate safety skills. 
03.0	Demonstrate basic laboratory skills. 
04.0	Demonstrate regulatory compliance. 
05.0	Demonstrate appropriate decision making and problem solving techniques. 
06.0	Demonstrate specific laboratory skills.
07.0	Demonstrate quality assurance/control. 
08.0	Maintain facility and equipment. 

Florida Department of Education
Student Performance Standards

Program Title:	Biotechnology Laboratory Specialist
CIP Number:	0341010101
Program Length:	30 credit hours 	

This certificate program is part of the Biotechnology Laboratory Technology AS degree program (1341010100).  At the completion of this program, the student will be able to:	
01.0	Demonstrate communication skills.  The student will be able to:	
01.01	Make professional oral and written presentations.	
01.02	Comprehend and use correct scientific, technical and medical vocabulary.	
01.03	Follow/analyze experimental and laboratory protocols.	
01.04	Prepare identify and apply changes to control procedures.	
01.05	Write or update manuals, SOP’s protocols, reports and technical summaries.	
01.06	Keep accurate laboratory records in notebooks or other approved mediums. 	
01.07	Perform computerized research and web searches, including, but not limited to Pub Med and identify basic reference resources in biotechnology, including, but not limited to original journal articles.	
01.08	Recognize differences between primary scientific references and secondary information sources.	
01.09	Perform basic applications in word processing, spread sheets, databases, presentations and project management.	
01.10	Ask appropriate scientific questions and recognize what is involved in experimental approaches to the solution of such questions.	
02.0	Demonstrate safety skills.  The student will be able to:	
02.01	Identify and maintain first aid supplies, eye wash station, emergency shower, co-worker contact, medical information, emergency protection, chemical hygiene plan and evacuation plan.	
02.02	Follow correct safety procedures, guidelines and chemical hygiene plans.	
02.03	Maintain required environmental health, safety, and laboratory training.	
02.04	Handle, store, and dispose of hazardous materials per appropriate MSDS, other safety guidelines, Worker Protection Standards (WPS) and/or appropriate regulatory guidelines (i.e., state, federal, local, accreditation, etc.).	
02.05	Follow standard precautions for biological pathogen, both proper handling and disposal, and define principles of contamination control including standard and transmission based precautions.	
02.06	Demonstrate procedures for declaring a laboratory emergency and/or responding with appropriate institutional procedures.	
03.0	Demonstrate basic laboratory skills.  The student will be able to:	
03.01	Obtain and read protocol, test procedure, standard operating procedure (SOP), equipment manuals, and proper forms.	
03.02	Prioritize and perform multiple tasks in a timely manner, based upon priorities communicated by supervisor.	
03.03	Clean, organize and sterilize materials and laboratory instruments, when required.	
03.04	Organization of supply inventory; date/label reagents and store promptly upon arrival.	
03.05	Demonstrate knowledge of asepsis and practice procedures such as hand-washing and isolation.	
03.06	Use titration/pipetting techniques; measure volume/weights.	
03.07	Perform basic calculations, unit conversions, graphing of data and statistical analysis.	
03.08	Calculate and prepare dilutions series.	
03.09	Prepare solutions and reagents for laboratory use.	
03.10	Monitor physical properties of reagents, buffers, media and solutions and determine optimum conditions for use.	
03.11	Obtain and review appropriate procedures and test forms, prepare for laboratory inspections and respond to the reports.	
03.12	Collect and set up samples for analysis.	
03.13	Perform general laboratory tests, including, setup equipment and perform/document tests and results.	
03.14	Demonstrate knowledge of chemical cross-contamination control between reagents from weighing implements, storage containers and media.	
03.15	Make estimations and approximations and judge the reasonableness of the result.	
04.0	Demonstrate regulatory compliance.  The student will be able to:	
04.01	Follow guidelines from the appropriate regulatory, accreditation, and/or certification agencies, such as FDA, OSHA, USDA, NIH, NR, DOT, EPA, CDC, ISO/IEC, and NRC.	
04.02	Comply with principles using current Good Experimental Practices and quality improvement systems (e.g., GXP; GLP, GMP, GCP)	
05.0	Demonstrate appropriate decision making and problem solving techniques.  The student will be able to:	
05.01	Identify decision to be made and compare alternatives.	
05.02	Make decisions based on accurate facts, data, and agreed-upon goals.	
05.03	Evaluate the decision made.	
05.04	Demonstrate ability to evaluate data and draw conclusions.	
05.05	Diagnose problem, its urgency and causes, and documenting as appropriate.	
05.06	Determine appropriate action, implement it, and evaluate results.	
06.0	Demonstrate specific laboratory skills.  The student will be able to:	
06.01	Perform various techniques associated with mammalian and/or insect cell culture, including isolation, maintenance, characterization, and storage of pure cultures.	
06.02	Perform microbiology skills, which may include but are not limited to, plating techniques, isolating and characterizing cell lines, propagating cell lines, and cryogenic techniques.	
06.03	Perform various genetic engineering techniques including but not limited to, transformation, transfection of mammalian, insect, and/or bacterial cells.	
06.04	Perform bioassays.	
06.05	Perform immunological techniques, including but not limited to, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, and Western blot techniques.	
06.06	Perform various molecular biology techniques, including but not limited to isolation, quantitation, amplification, electrophoresis, and hybridization of both RNA and DNA and construction of recombinant vectors.	
06.07	Demonstrate an understanding of translation assays, DNA libraries and isotopic and non-isotopic labeling techniques.	
06.08	Perform various protein techniques including but not limited to, separation, isolation, characterization, quantitation, monitoring protein stability, gel electrophoresis, concentration (filter and dialyze), and conduct enzyme activity assays.	
06.09	Perform chemical assays including but not limited to measuring turbidity, viscosity, density, quantitative analysis, distillation techniques, titration techniques, employing dyes and indicators, lyophilization, and organic chemistry techniques.	
06.10	Demonstrate knowledge of instrument-based separation, including but not limited to various chromatography techniques and other separation methodologies (e.g., FACS).	
06.11	Understand the principles underlying spectroscopic analysis.	
07.0	Demonstrate quality assurance control.  The student will be able to:	
07.01	Perform quality tests and document results.	
07.02	Verify test standards and maintain QA records.	
07.03	Archive samples and documents.	
07.04	Inspect and verify integrity of product, procedure, and specimen.	
07.05	Explain the role of statistical trend analysis for the release of final product.	
07.06	Investigate complaints and take corrective action.	
08.0	Maintain facility and equipment.  The student will be able to:	
08.01	Monitor/record the environmental condition of the facility (e.g., growth chamber, laboratory, greenhouse, storage room, animal room, freezers, or manufacturing site).	
08.02	Notify appropriate personnel if sampling indicates a problem.	
08.03	Clean work area according to SOPs.	
08.04	Label equipment.	
08.05	Check calibration and perform systems diagnostics	
08.06	Check and maintain equipment, logs, and perform preventative maintenance tasks according to schedule and operate laboratory equipment and instrumentation after familiarization with manuals and/or training.	

Additional Information

Laboratory Activities

Laboratory investigations that include scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, emerging technologies, tools and equipment, as well as, experimental, quality, and safety procedures are an integral part of this career and technical program/course. Laboratory investigations benefit all students by developing an understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills required to manage, operate, calibrate and troubleshoot equipment/tools used to make observations. Students understand measurement error; and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data. Equipment and supplies should be provided to enhance hands-on experiences for students.

Special Notes

This program is designed to prepare students for employment as Biotechnology Research Technicians, Biological Technicians or cell culture technicians or biotechnology manufacturing technician and/or to supply supplemental training for persons previously or currently employed in these occupation.

Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO)

HOSA: Future Health Professionals and SkillsUSA are the co-curricular career and technical student organizations providing leadership training and reinforcing specific career and technical skills. Career and Technical Student Organizations provide activities for students as an integral part of the instruction offered. 

Accommodations

Federal and state legislation requires the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities to meet individual needs and ensure equal access. Postsecondary students with disabilities must self-identify, present documentation, request accommodations if needed, and develop a plan with their counselor and/or instructors. Accommodations received in postsecondary education may differ from those received in secondary education. Accommodations change the way the student is instructed. Students with disabilities may need accommodations in such areas as instructional methods and materials, assignments and assessments, time demands and schedules, learning environment, assistive technology and special communication systems. Documentation of the accommodations requested and provided should be maintained in a confidential file.