Careers in Genetics Iowa State University Genetics

1
Careers in Genetics

• Iowa State University
• Genetics Undergraduate major

2
Medicine

• Medical genetics, genetic counseling, genetic
  nursing
• ISU offers a Human Genetics Counselor Program!
• Gene testing, gene therapy
• Laboratory work
• Organ transplantation, fertility, and
  reproduction
• Fertility clinics, surgery
• Public health
• Mutated strains of TB, influenza
• Pharmaceutical industry and suppliers
• Pharmacogenomics
• Chemical, vaccine, medicine development and
  production
• Database development, operation, use
• Communication, work with regulatory agencies

3
Agriculture and Wildlife

• Genetic modification of foods and seeds
• Iowa corn has been inbred to create the strain
  found today.
• Biopesticide and neutriceutical development
• Development of plants who resists parasites,
  disease, in order to reduce the use of chemical
  pesticides
• Wildlife management Identification, protection
  of endangered species
• Reintroduction of endangered species
• Authentication of consumables such as wine,
  caviar.
• Some strains of yeast are better at producing
  wine than others the same goes for L.bacillii in
  yogurt

4
Computational Biology (including Bioinformatics)

• Database creation, data analysis, modeling, data
  transfer
• Imagery and statistical analysis of DNA and
  genetic combinations
• Supercomputing
• Theoretical biology would predict animal/plant
  physiology based on genetic composition
• Mathematics, statistics, actuarial field
• ISU is offering a new major on bioinformatics in
  the Fall!

5
Engineering Disciplines

• Bioprocessing chamber, vat design and production
• Toxic-waste cleanup
• Bacteria who eat oil spills, etc.
• Instrumentation development
• Sensitive equipment is used in genetics.
• Creation of new energy sources via engineering,
  life science research
• Ethanol production from corn
• Biomedical engineering
• Development of innovative prothesis or other
  medical devices

6
Business

• Biosciences industry investing
• In PA for example, the average salary is more
  then 65,000
• Marketing and sales
• To organizations and institutions who use
  genetics equipment or chemicals
• Banking/Finance
• New capital and investment into research firms
  and facilities

7
Law and Justice

• Education
• High school, college level
• Patent specialties
• On genetic technique, or any pure isolated form
  of a naturally occuring substance
• Specialties in ethical, legal, and social issues
• Fairness in use of genetic information about
  people
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Psychology of having the stigma of a defect
• Gene and paternity testing
• Genealogy
• Criminal databases
• DNA forensics--in the laboratory, in the field,
  in the courtroom

8
History and Anthropology

• Use of genetics to study population, migration
  patterns
• Gene frequency and distribution
• Genetic markers
• Study of inheritance over evolutionary time

9
Military

• Soldier identification
• Pathogen identification
• Biological and chemical warfare protection
• Radiation-exposure assessment

10
Bench Science

• Sequencing of many organisms, including human
• Data analysis, computation
• Functional genomics
• Proteomics
• Human variation in health and disease
• Microbial genetics
• Environmental studies
• Education

11
Bioscience Communication

• Reporting, writing, editing
• Journalism
• Website development, maintenance
• Computer Science
• Public relations
• For hospitals, research facilities
• Marketing
• For companies who sell chemicals and equipment to
  genetics researchers
• Special events
• College Fairs, public interest groups in genetics