The idea of recombining and biologically altering aspects of living things has captured imaginations for decades, from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to the mutants from the X-men. In the real world, Genetic Engineers strive to improve life as we know it by slowly and safely increasing the complexity of DNA... Continue Reading
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Explore Career The idea of recombining and biologically altering aspects of living things has captured imaginations for decades, from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to the mutants from the X-men. In the real world, Genetic Engineers strive to improve life as we know it by slowly and safely increasing the complexity of DNA.
What are the typical responsibilities of a Genetic Engineer?
A Genetic Engineer would typically need to:
Genetic Engineers work chiefly in laboratories, either engaged in research or genetic engineering procedures, often in more than one area. They also spend considerable time writing reports about their work, lecturing, or teaching about their research and preparing grant proposals.
They may also work in healthcare settings. Genetic Engineers usually work as part of a team. They must be able to cooperate and communicate with other scientists in their field.
Genetic Engineers may work the usual 9 p.m to 5 p.m. schedule; they may have to work on weekends or after hours to complete research projects, write reports, or stay abreast of the latest developments in their specialty.
Genetic engineering is a broad field. Engineers may specialize in agriculture, healthcare, and other specialties. You may work as a molecular biologist, breast cancer researcher, forensic scientist, or genetic counselor, among other positions.
Your professors and college placement office may help you to find a job in the field. Graduates may find summer positions advertised on the notice boards of the biology and genetics departments. Professional journals, newspaper classifieds, and job banks on the internet are also good sources of job openings. You can also apply directly to genetic engineering firms, chemical companies, and pharmaceutical companies.
Genetic Engineers are generally employed by:
Professional associations and organizations are crucial for Genetic Engineers interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.
The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) is an intergovernmental organization that collaborates with the United Nations Common System. It disseminates information about biosafety and bioethics worldwide while championing outreach and public engagement to promote scientific knowledge and improve the quality of life.
You can also try looking into summer programs and special interest groups or attend talks by college speakers to get more information about and exposure to the field of genetic engineering. You may acquire experience in the field through internships, volunteer work, or a part-time job.
A bachelor’s degree in a related field such as biotechnology, biochemistry, bioengineering, or molecular biology will help aspiring Genetic Engineers to obtain entry-level jobs in the area. However, a master’s degree, such as an MSc in one of the above fields or an MTech in genetic engineering, will ensure that you stand out in the job market. Higher-level research positions require a PhD.
Genetic Engineers should have the ability to use computer-aided design (CAD) software, graphics or photo imaging software, Perl, Python, analytical software programs, and word processing software programs. They should also be able to use lasers, spectrometers, light scattering equipment, binocular light compound microscopes, benchtop centrifuges, or similar laboratory equipment.
Genetic Engineers typically do not need any specific certification or licenses to practice their profession. A growing number of online courses from established universities award relevant certificates upon completion; they may not compare with an official certification in genetic engineering but can help gain relevant knowledge and skills while adding value to your applications.
Voluntary certification demonstrates competence in a skill or set of skills, typically through work experience, training, the passage of an examination, or some combination of the three.
Successful certification programs protect the public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics. The reassurance that members who practice outside the Code will be investigated and held accountable earns the community’s trust and respect, which are the most critical elements in securing a Genetic Engineer’s future.
The best way to advance in Genetic Engineering is by gaining more research experience. Working in research often also means being on the frontlines of scientific advancement and can bring with it considerable prestige, primarily if you get published in a high-profile journal. Join a lab as a research assistant, technician, or supervisor, and work your way up through the ranks.
In addition to an education that includes postdoctoral programs, significant experience and publications in the field will enable you to access coveted posts in academia and research. You may advance from an entry-level assistant professor’s position to associate professor and a full professor with the possibility of tenure. You could also work in the corporate sector or government agencies.
Candidates with education, expertise, and research experience will have the best job prospects.
Government grants are extremely competitive; only the best-written and most scientifically up-to-date proposals receive funding. Therefore, Genetic Engineers must keep enhancing their skills and proficiency throughout their active careers to keep up with new developments in the field and to advance their research.
Continuous professional development(CPD) allows individuals to upskill continually, regardless of their age, job, or level of knowledge. It prevents practical and academic qualifications from becoming outdated. It enables Genetic Engineers to identify any knowledge gaps and progress to a new specialism.
Although CPD is useful in various professions, it is especially important in the healthcare sector as it has important implications for public wellbeing. Genetic engineering has many applications in the field of medicine. Ideal career progression happens when Genetic Engineers actively choose to expand their skill-sets and meet the requirements of their respective regulatory bodies.
An important consideration in medical education in recent years has been how the masses of facts and skills that doctors accumulate in their training can be transformed into adaptive clinical skills that work in the real world.
The central concern of CPD is that of lifelong learning with its application to professional lives. CPD is more than just a policy or some form of bureaucratic procedure. It is not just a set of boxes to be ticked mindlessly. It is value-laden and embraces several new learning objectives, educational methodologies, and novel technological developments, especially in education, management, and IT.
Reflective learning, interaction with peer groups, comprehensive inclusion, workshops, and professional publications serve to educate, influence, support, and foster lifelong enlightenment in all career-grade Genetic Engineers in medicine.
Genetic Engineers can expect support and additional training from Vitae, a non-profit global leader with over 50 years’ experience in enhancing the skills of researchers. In partnership with governments, funders of research, academies, professional bodies, trusts & foundations, universities, and research institutes, Vitae offers training, resources, events, consultancy, and membership in microbiology bioinformatics, and other related fields.
Gen(e)iuses at Work
Genetic Engineers carry out work that may result in breakthroughs spanning across a broad cross-section of life on earth.
Gene Therapy
Gene therapy involves inserting a gene into a patient’s cells to treat or prevent disease instead of using drugs or surgery. Although still experimental, gene therapy aims to target the root cause of illness, such as gene transfer into the individual cell types of the complex lung structure in cystic fibrosis patients. It has the potential to save a patient from a lifetime of complicated treatments, all the while suffering a debilitating medical condition.
Genome Editing
The invention of powerful new genome-editing tools means that researchers can now make precise changes to genetic material and thereby consider correcting faulty DNA in human sperm, eggs, and embryos.
Virus Vectors
Genetic Engineers use carriers called vectors to transmit genetically modified cells during gene therapy. The most popular vectors are viruses that have been modified so that they do not harm the individual. Research to find viruses that can serve as the most beneficent vectors is one of the most crucial tasks in the field.
Combating Hunger
Genetic Engineers work with agricultural scientists to develop crops resistant to diseases, pests, drought, and weeds. Their efforts help reduce the number of harmful pesticides needed in growing crops and produce food free of allergens or toxins. They use biotechnology to increase the nutritional value of crops and the quality of seed stock.
Animal Science
Genetic Engineers strive to increase livestock productivity, improve the health of animals, and reduce the environmental impact of agricultural production. They engage in the safe genetic engineering of animals for research.
Clean the Environment
Genetic Engineers help scientists develop ways to clean up pollution. For instance, bioremediation enables the clean-up of chemicals, including paint in landfills or oil, accidentally spilled into soil or water. It empowers microbes to break down toxic substances into simpler substances that are less harmful to the environment.
Genetic Engineers introduce pollution-fighting genes from another species into a microbe to enhance its pollution-fighting skills or engineer the organism’s existing genes to make it more effective.
An Ongoing Debate
The more we learn about genetics, the more complicated the interactions between genes and the environment — which produces the organism’s phenotype — appear. It is one thing to cut and paste DNA, but it is another to know what the result will be, mainly because modifications to one part of the genome can have unexpected effects elsewhere.
Some enhancements can improve the human condition as we know it, and some have the potential to wreak havoc on our lives and social structure. Anyone who has a position on enhancement has not thought deeply enough on the question.
Genetic Engineers can expect to answer regulatory, legal, and ethical questions correctly only on a category-by-category basis.
The field of altering genomes and making changes in living things at the genetic level has traveled a long way from the domain of fiction to modern-day reality. Today, Genetic Engineering is a part of a significant number of fields, from agriculture to antibiotics.
If we have better tools at our disposal, should we use them or not? It’s a question society has to decide.
The term “Genetic Engineer” was coined by a writer of fiction, Jack Williamson.
What do Genetic Engineers do?
A Genetic Engineer would typically need to:
Accredited
$45,680
