Printer FriendlyDr. Susan Woskie 978-934-3295
Susan_Woskie@uml.edu
Purpose: The MassBiotech Council counts 440 companies, universities and service organization on its membership roles. Each Biotech organization must have an environmental health and safety office that covers biosafety, chemical, radiation and animal safety. It is difficult for companies to find a biosafety professional with an American Biosafety Association (ABSA) certification since there are currently no graduate or undergraduate programs in biosafety in the United States. The Laboratory & Biosafety Certificate introduces students to the fundamentals of biological safety as well as laboratory health and safety. This certificate is designed to be offered online, providing and affordable, accessible, entree to the field.
Who Should Apply: The biotech, biomedical and pharmaceutical sector is rapidly growing in the New England region. The job of a biological safety officer is in many ways similar to that of an Environmental Safety and Health Office, or an Occupational/Industrial Hygienist. It is concerned with protection of workers, and of the environment. Certified biological safety professionals "must develop knowledge of the principles of epidemiology, disease transmission patters, risk-assessment management, disinfection and sterilization, disease, aerobiology and environmental control" (American Biological Safety Association). All applicants for the graduate certificate must have a bachelor's degree in a life sciences discipline from an accredited institution and strong qualitative skills. All applicants must have at least 9 credits of biology courses such as microbiology, cell biology, and/or molecular biology, biochemistry is also recommended.
Required Courses:
19.515 Principles and Practices of Biological Safety
19.516 Laboratory Environmental Health and Safety
19.525 Recognition of Work Environmental Hazards: Introduction to Occupational Hygiene and Ergonomics
Elective Courses:
19.573 Bioaerosols in Health and Biodefense
19.618 Risk Management and Training
19.575 Introduction of Biostatisitics and Epidemiology
36.613 Infectious Disease (online)
36.515 Clinical Virology and Serology Laboratory
36.511 Medical Bacteriology