The Master of Biotechnology is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the Biotechnology industry.
This program delivers a comprehensive education in disciplines that are core to Biotechnology, while also emphasizing life-long skills in critical thinking, hypothesis testing, project management, leadership and communications.
Fast Track Timeline
The MBtec is a 16-month, course-based Master’s program. Program start date: September 2, 2025.
Hands-on Experience
The MBtec includes 21 credits of hands-on, laboratory-based courses complemented by seminar courses comprised of presentations from expert industry speakers. Students will further develop their skills as they complete two four-month internships.
Fulfill High Demand
A comprehensive scan of historical job postings from 2013 to 2023 revealed 5,748 Biotech openings in BC, 44% of which required a graduate degree.
Economic Impact
The BC Biotechnology industry is booming. In 2021, B.C.’s life sciences sector recorded $6.7 billion in revenue, an increase of 13.6% from 2020.
Research and Supervisors
Focus Areas in Biotechnology
Students will receive training in microbial, plant, and animal cell culture, production of biological therapeutics and advanced techniques including organoid production, CRISPR-mediated gene editing, protein expression and metabolomics.
Research Interests: Neurodegenerative disease, signal transduction, neurotrophin biology, cell biology, fly and mouse genetics.
Thu-Thuy Dang | Assistant Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | thuy.dang@ubc.ca | 250.807.9468 | SCI 207
Graduate student supervisor
Research Interests: Discovering new biosynthetic enzymes and pathways; generating specialized metabolites structural and functional diversities; re-constituting natural products metabolism in synthetic biology chassis.
Research Interests: Genetics and genomics of plants, especially in relation to pectin, cell walls, and fibers.
Courses & Teaching: Biochemistry, bioinformatic.
Sanjoy Ghosh | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention (IHLCDP) | sanjoy.ghosh@ubc.ca | 250.807.8162 | ASC 369
Graduate student supervisor
Research Interests: Biochemical aspects of dietary fats and exercise in preventing the development and complications of obesity and diabetes.
Courses & Teaching: Biochemical basis of nutrition.
Deanna Gibson (On Leave) | Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Biotechnology, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention (IHLCDP) | deanna.gibson@ubc.ca | 250.807.8790 | ASC 368
Graduate student supervisor
Research Interests: Gut health; intestinal microbiome; gut immunity; dietary lipids; susceptibility to acute and chronic gut diseases like colitis.
Courses & Teaching: Medical microbiology, virology and immunology.
Laura Grieneisen | Assistant Professor | Biology, Biotechnology, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | laura.grieneisen@ubc.ca | 250.807.8760 | SCI 208
Graduate student supervisor
Research Interests: Host-microbiome interactions in wild systems; microbial ecology
Courses & Teaching: Environmental microbiology
Miranda Hart | Professor | Biology, Biotechnology, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | miranda.hart@ubc.ca | ASC 372
Graduate student supervisor
Research Interests: Microbial ecology of soil microbes; the role and the applications of microbes in sustainable agriculture, viticulture, and ecological restoration.
Research Interests: Neuroimmunology; pathogenesis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases; Glial cell biology; cellular and molecular pharmacology; method development for protecting neurons from age-related deterioration; signaling between different cell types of the central nervous system; problem-solving skills of students and effectiveness of alternative instructional techniques.
Courses & Teaching: Pharmacology; neuroimmunology; inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.
Isaac Li | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI) | isaac.li@ubc.ca | 250.807.8069 | FIP 343
Graduate student supervisor
Research Interests: Single-molecule biophysics; programmable molecular devices and biosensors; cancer and immune cell biology; cell mechanics and mechanobiology.
Soheil Mahmoud | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Biotechnology, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | soheil.mahmoud@ubc.ca | 250.807.8752 | SCI 312
Graduate student supervisor
Research Interests: Molecular, cellular, biochemical and environmental factors that regulate the quality and quantity of aromas and essential oils produced by herbal and medicinal plants; identification, cloning and characterization of structural and regulatory genes that are involved in the biosynthesis, inter- and intra-cellular trafficking, secretion and storage of monoterpenes in plants cells specialized for secondary metabolite production.
Courses & Teaching: Plant molecular biology and biochemistry; metabolism of natural products; plant biotechnology.
Frederic Menard | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI) | frederic.menard@ubc.ca | 250.807.8225 | FIP 348
Graduate student supervisor
Research Interests: Chemical biology: use of small molecules to study and manipulate biological systems; design of molecular tools to study the real-time dynamics of cellular events; using organic chemistry, natural products are modified to label proteins involved in cellular signaling; the biology questions studied focus on protein-protein interactions, astrocytes communication, synapse elimination, and neurodegeneration.
Courses & Teaching: Synthetic organic chemistry.
Susan Murch | Department Head (Pro Tem), Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI), Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | susan.murch@ubc.ca | 250.807.9566 | FIP 350
Graduate student supervisor
Research Interests: The Plant Secondary Metabolite Analytical Research Team (PlantSMART) researches chemistry of plants and how plant chemistry affects human health using analytical chemistry, mass spectrometry, biotechnology, metabolomics and hormonomics approaches.
Courses & Teaching: Analytical chemistry; plant biochemistry.
Micro-credential in Metabolomics
Research Interests: Establishing 3D bioartificial models to aid in understanding how abnormal multicellular and multiorgan interactions contribute to lung diseases.
Research Interests: Mechanistic enzymology; structural and functional analysis of cofactor containing proteins.
Courses & Teaching: Enzymology; biochemistry.
Careers and Outcomes
The Master of Biotechnology program provides learners with backgrounds in Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry with the expertise needed to access mid- to high-level industry positions.
Biologist and scientists
Science/lab managers
Research associate in biochemistry, tissue cell biology, biopharma, agricultural tech
Associate scientist in biologics discovery, research and development, quality assurance
Associate lab manager in agricultural tech, biopharma
Research technologist in biochemistry, tissue cell biology, biopharma, agricultural tech
Upon successful completion of the Master of Biotechnology students will be able to:
Separate, identify, and quantify macromolecules;
Produce recombinant molecules and transgenic organisms;
Propagate microbial, plant, and animal cells and tissues in aseptic culture;
Implement and troubleshoot detailed laboratory protocols, reproducibly and independently;
Use command-line programing to analyze biological data;
Explain the chemical, physical and biological principles underlying laboratory methods;
Demonstrate knowledge of operational, regulatory, and safety standards relevant to the laboratory environment;
Communicate effectively in written and oral presentations;
Apply project management skills to ensure effective use of time and resources;
Explain key considerations, opportunities, and challenges related to entrepreneurship and innovation;
Discuss social, ethical, and environmental considerations relevant to biotechnology;
Demonstrate collaborative and respectful dialogue, ethical research practices, and the integration of Indigenous knowledge into their professional and personal endeavours.
Tuition and Funding
Domestic: $3,750 per term for a total of $15,000
International: $10,000 per term for a total of $40,000
All MBtec students are also required to pay a laboratory fee of $500 per semester.
Please be advised: UBCO tuition rates are expected to increase in May 2025. This increase will add approximately 2% to the above rates.
Admission and Applying
Virtual Information Session
If you were unable to attend a virtual information session, check out this recorded session to learn more about the program and admission process, and listen to MBtec faculty members answer questions from prospective applicants.
Admission Requirements
Applicants will normally have a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, or a related field. However, in exceptional cases, applicants who have had significant formal training and relevant professional experience, may be granted admission on the recommendation of the Biology Graduate Program Committee and approval of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
Self-identified Indigenous applicants will be examined on a case-by-case basis. UBCO may consider students who fall below the competitive admission average, who do not have a Bachelor of Science degree, or who do not meet the College of Graduate Studies minimum admissions requirements. A number of factors indicative of personal readiness to succeed at UBC will be considered.
How to Apply
All applications to graduate studies at UBC Okanagan are processed through the College of Graduate Studies (CoGs).
Application Deadline for September 2025 Intake
International
February 28, 2025
Domestic
April 30, 2025
Note: applications will be reviewed and offers of admission will be made on a rolling basis. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.
Program Inquiries Sheila Williamson Graduate Program Assistant sheila.williamson@ubc.ca | 250.807.8094
Global and Close-Knit
At UBC Okanagan, you gain all the benefits of attending a globally ranked, top 5%
university while studying in a close-knit learning community. 50% of graduates,
from all across the globe, choose to stay in the region.
A diverse natural region with sandy beaches, beautiful farms, vineyards,
orchards and
snow-capped mountains, the
Okanagan is an inspirational landscape perfect for those seeking leisure or
outdoor
adventure.
UBC's Okanagan campus borders the dynamic city of Kelowna, a hub of economic
development with a population of
more than 150,000 people— the fourth fastest-growing population in
Canada.
