MBiotech’s Biopharma­ceuticals (BioPh) curriculum comprises both required courses, as well as elective courses. Our curriculum map was developed to provide a visual overview of the BioPh course curriculum, detailing not only all of the courses offered but also the topics covered in each course. { or jump to DHT Curriculum ♟︎ | This page last updated: 7-Apr 2023 }

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Credit Requirements

Students enrolling in the Biopharma­ceuticals specialisation of MBiotech are required to complete 9·5 graduate course credits over a 24-month period on a full-time basis. These 9·5 credits comprise the following—

8 Science courses (0·5 credits each, for a total of 4·0 credits)

4 Business courses (0·5 credits each, for a total of 2·0 credits)

2 Work Term courses (1·0 credit each, for a total of 2·0 credits)

Electives (1·5 credits)

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» YEAR 2 ♙ BioPh

Seminar Series (BTC16x0)
BTC1600H Biopartner­ing II { Sep‑Dec } Plum iCal Google Calendar
Work Term Series (BTC19x0)
BTC1910Y Work Term II { May‑Aug } Aubergine iCal Google Calendar
Business Series (BTC20x0)
BTC2030H Manage­ment of Techno­logical Innovation { Jan‑Apr } Sky iCal Google Calendar

The Electives E

YEARS 1 & 2 ♙ BioPh

Work Term Series (BTC19x0)
BTC1920Y Work Term III { Sep‑Dec } Aubergine iCal Google Calendar
Special Topics Series (BTC21x0)
BTC2100Y Thesis Project in Biotech­nology COMING SOON Tungsten iCal Google Calendar
BTC2110H Structural Biology in Drug Develop­ment & Biotech­nology { Jan‑Apr } Tungsten iCal Google Calendar

Course Descriptions

All mandatory courses (but not electives) offered in the BioPh stream are described in this section.

BTC1700H

Molecular Biology Laboratory

Graduate { Year 1 }

Honeydew

Session: Summer
Instructor:
Leigh Revers
Credits:
0·5

MBiotech Classic
Formerly Genetics & Molecular Biology Laboratory. Mantra ‘This course provides hands-on experience in practical applic­ations of a major area in biotech­nology, and is an important breadth component.’

Course Description:
This laboratory-based course introduces fundamental experimental techniques commonly used in biomedical research and provides ‘hands-on’ experience working with nucleic acids and proteins over an intensive six-week schedule. Students receive a practical overview of key protocols over the first week and are provided with same-day, interactive technical demonstrations in a fully equipped ‘wet’ laboratory. This is followed by an extended research assignment in which students work in teams towards expressing and isolating a biomedically relevant, recombinant protein. Teams must design an appropriate research strategy, conduct experiments, collect and analyse data and submit their product with a final report to meet a tight deadline. The course concludes with a final presentation seminar day.

BTC1710H Biomaterials & Protein Chemistry Theory { Year 1 }

Midnight

Session: Summer
Instructor: TBA
Credits: 0·5 R
Pre-Requisites: Strawberry

Course Description:
This course is designed to enable students to gain a more in-depth appreciation and understanding of the application of materials science and protein chemistry to the field of biotech­nology. We delve into advanced drug delivery and therapeutic strategies, biomaterials in medicine, pharmacology and drug discovery. We also consider new disruptive technologies as case studies for life science biotechnology students.

BTC1720H

Biomater­ials & Protein Chemi­stry Labor­atory

Graduate { Year 1 }

Strawberry

Session: Summer
Instructor: Leigh Revers
Credits: 0·5
Co-Requisites: Midnight

Course Description:
As a companion course to BTC1710H, this laboratory course is intended to provide students with hands-on experience with some concepts in protein and materials chemistry. The experience will focus on the use of advanced equipment and techniques and will include experiments involving protein PEGylation, nano­particles in drug delivery, and biodiesel synthesis, as well as bioinformatics. This is an intensive four-week course, operating five days a week. Students will complete these projects and experiments in teams. A significant component of this course involves a science-intensive, business assessment in which the students have an opportunity to apply what they have learned.

BTC1810H Biotechnology & Drug Manu­facturing { Year 1 }

Clover

Session: Summer
Instructor: Tim Lee
Credits: 0·5 R

Course Description:
Biotechnology & Drug Manu­facturing is a half-credit course that introduces students to some of the key aspects of the biopharma­ceutical process, with special emphasis on the biotech sector. The course focuses on the fundamental role played by corporate entities in the development of new therapeutic drugs in a highly regulated business environment. Topics covered include biopharma­ceutical manu­facturing, regulatory approval for drug products and medical devices, setting regulatory standards, quality-by-design, cGMP compliance, risk manage­ment and root cause analysis.

CHM442H5S

Strategy & Control in Mod­ern Drug Synthesis

Undergrad­uate { Year 4 }

Cantaloupe

Session: Winter
Instructor: Leigh Revers
Credits: 0·5
Pre-Requisites: CHM341H5 or CHM345H5

chm

Course Description:
I have assembled a brand new course, CHM442H5S: Strategy & Control in Modern Drug Synthesis, endorsed by and developed in consultation with Prof. Patrick Gunning. This course brings into focus aspects of strategy and control for designing the syntheses of complex drug molecules that are blockbusters for the pharmaceutical industry.

Not only will you learn about 21st Century developments in organic synthesis, this course will serve as an outstanding and invaluable differentiator for anyone applying for medical school, or for higher levels of study as a research graduate in groups such as The Gunning Group, or in professional programs, such as the Master of Biotechnology Program (MBiotech).

To enrol, check your Degree Explorer or contact Eliza Escandar. I hope you will consider this new course offering as a part of your undergraduate journey!

BTC1800H Biotechnology in Medicine { Year 1 }

Cayenne

Session: Fall
Instructor: Jayson Parker
Credits: 0·5 R
Pre-Requisites: Honeydew Midnight Strawberry SpringCR

Course Description:
This course will introduce students to the development of a wide range of product categories. While the focus will be on drugs, the course will also touch upon medical devices, digital health, big data in health, medical apps, biomarkers, medical marketing, treatment guidelines, screening tools and diagnostics. Understanding clinical trial design and the regulatory pathway through the US FDA is a major focus of the course. Reimbursement is introduced for both drugs and medical devices. Each year, this course is usually able to negotiate some major project opportunities from teaching hospitals students can tackle, to expose them to the clinical world, an important target customer environment of pharmaceutical companies.

BTC1820H Biotechnology in Agriculture & Natural Products { Year 1 }

Blueberry

Session: Fall
Instructor: Duncan Jones
Credits: 0·5 R
Pre-Requisites: Honeydew Midnight Strawberry SpringCR

1820
1820 Frenchmen Joseph Caventou & Pierre-Joseph Pelletier were the first to isolate and name quinine, a treatment for malaria.

Course Description:
This course will focus on the exploration and understanding of biotech­nology as applied to agri­culture, natural products, biocontrols and associated industrial biotech­nology. Students will work in teams and each team will present their assigned topics as oral presentations and written assignments. A number of written individual assignments plus an exam will also be evaluated. In the agriculture area, lecture topics include modern approaches to plant breeding, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the controversy surrounding them; genomics and its importance in agri­biotech­nology; nutraceuticals; the use of natural and engineered products for pest and herbicide control; and the use of plants as bioreactors. In the natural products/­​biocontrols/­​industrial biotech­nology areas, topics include the use of natural plant products for medicinal purposes; bioremediation of contaminated soils and the applications of biocatalysts as part of the green chemistry movement.

BTC2010H Fundamentals of Managerial Concepts { Year 1 }

Banana

Session: Fall
Instructor:
Kevin Yousie
Credits:
0·5 R

2010
 
2010 Derrick J. Rossi, former UofT alumnus, founds Moderna, Inc.

Course Description:
This foundational course introduces students to a broad range of the critical managerial concepts that are required to operate success­fully in today’s biotech­nologically focused organisations. Topics covered include forms of business ownership, an introduction to financial statements, auditor reports, financial statement analysis, ratio analysis, time value of money, net present value, internal rate of return, projected statements, marketing math, market segmentation, product positioning, the marketing mix, pricing decisions, channel strategies, customer value propositions, competitive strategies, marketing in the age of artificial intelligence, as well as some aspects of strategic manage­ment and organis­ational alignment. Theory and application are combined through the use of readings, case studies, in-class discussions and presentations, as well as a team project.

BTC1600H Biopartner­ing I { Year 1 }

BTC1610H Biopartner­ing II { Year 2 }

Plum

Session: Fall
Instructor: Duncan Jones
Credits: 0·5 R
Pre-Requisites: Honeydew Midnight Strawberry SpringCR

MBiotech Classic
Formerly Seminar in Bio­sciences/​Bio­tech­nology. Mantra ‘All participants in the Program are linked by the seminar course during acad­emic and industrial terms.’

Course Description:
The ‘Biopartner­ing’ seminar series is a program require­ment for all MBiotech students — in both the BioPh and DHT streams. BTC1600H and BTC1610H are held in conjunction with one another, meaning all students (regardless of year or program stream) attend the seminar on the same date and time. The seminar is held once per week during the Fall semester, on Tuesday evenings for approximately two hours. It is comprised of both presentations by select speakers from industry as well as student presentations. The course challenges students to provide insights into industry issues that would be seen as a valuable contribution by experts in the area. Each student will participate in a formal group presentation, in their first year, and will complete other academic requirements such as critiques, team mentoring and an individual report in their senior year. The topics presented in this course will range from scientific (latest technologies and research, analysis of pre-clinical and clinical data) to business-oriented issues (e.g., market strategies for pharma and biotechnology products, government regulations, intellectual property, finance, ethics, etc.)

Jump to the Biopartnering Seminar page.

BTC2020H Society, Organisations & Technology { Year 1 }

Tangerine

Session: Fall
Instructor:
Andrew Steck
Credits:
0·5 R
Pre-Requisites:
Honeydew Midnight Strawberry Cayenne Clover Blueberry
CR

covid

2020 The UK Medicines and Health­care products Regulatory Agency became the first global medicines regulator in history to approve an mRNA vaccine.

Course Description:
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of economics and strategic manage­ment. Throughout the course, we will attempt to answer a funda­mental question posed by manage­ment scholars: how is it that some firms are able to repeatedly and consistently achieve great results, while others fail and crash out of the market? In search of an answer, we’ll explore a variety of decisions firms make, including pricing, product variety and scope, motivation of employees, and interaction with competitors. The course features a combination of lecture and case discussion; course readings include textbook excerpts, business press, and academic articles.

BTC1900Y / 1910Y / 1920Y Work Terms I, II & III { Year 1 + Year 2 }

Aubergine

Preparation: Summer & Fall
Session:
Year-Long (begins Winter)
Instructor:
 Nazeem Shamsuddin
Credits:
1·0 R + 1·0 R + 1·0 E
Pre-Requisites:
HoneydewMidnightStrawberryCayenneCloverBlueberrySpring

MBiotech Classic
Formerly Placement Project in Bio­sciences/Biotech­nology. Mantra ‘This course represents an intern­ship element of learning, which is considered … fundamental to [the] application of the academic course work.’

Course Description:
This series of centre­piece courses is designed to grant our students a more in-depth appreciation and understanding of the biotech­nology and biopharma­ceutical industry in a corporate and/or industrial setting, and to apply their knowledge and skills in a real-world context. Students are required to complete two 4-month full-time Work Term placements that are arranged by the course coordinator to ensure that the role, responsibilities and activities are at a graduate level. Credit-granting responsibilities reside with the course instructor, based on assignments and feedback from students’ Work Term supervisors.

Required preparatory exercises and assignments must be completed in the Summer and Fall sessions, leading up to the start of the placement in Winter/Spring, in order for students to qualify for Work Term I. These preparatory requirements can involve résumé work­shops, one-on-one meetings with members of the MBiotech team, attendance at the annual Career Day, and more.

Students in Work Term II may continue with the same employer from Work Term I, or alternatively with a new employer or department. Students’ performance and their work experiences is evaluated in a manner similar to that for Work Term I.

Note: BTC1920Y, Work Term III is an optional elective course that extends the placement experience to a full 12 months’ duration. Students taking Work Term III share their experiences by means of a mandatory Networking Night component in late November.

Students receive credit/no credit grades for all three courses.

I iCal Google Calendar II iCal Google Calendar III iCal Google Calendar quercus

BTC2030H Manage­ment of Techno­logical Innovation { Year 2 }

Sky

Session: Winter
Instructor:
Paul Chipperton
Credits:
0·5 R
Pre-Requisite:
AubergineCR

MBiotech Classic
Formerly Manage­ment of Innovation. Mantra ‘A finishing course intended to tie together the academic and placement courses from the perspective of manage­ment and business.’

Course Description:
In this course, we will define techno­logical innovation as the process of leveraging new ideas to create economic value and deliver this value to share­holders, employees, consumers, and our society at large. This process involves critical strategic choices that are common to most organisations, from small startups to large established companies: What is the best way to bring an idea to the market, and to arrange production and distribution? How should we redesign our internal organisation, as well as the system of partnerships and relationships with external players? Should we redefine our vertical and horizontal boundaries, for example by outsourcing some activities or entering new geographical markets? Throughout the course, we will refine our ability to approach and find the best answer to these (and many other) questions. Using an applied and discussion-based method, we will learn how to effectively convert a creative idea into a valuable innovation.

Since this Year 2 course runs concurrently with Work Terms, special remote learning provision is made available to those students who are out-of-province during the term, pending the Directors’ approval.

LEGEND: R Denotes a required course for graduation; E denotes an elective course; CR denotes a co-requisite.

Learn how to subscribe to live course calendars

iCal

Option 1
Apple Calendar on iPad & iPhone UPDATED

1 In your iOS browser, open this page and tap-and-hold the desired Apple Calendar icon.
2 Chrome users select Copy Link. Safari users scroll down and select Copy.
3 Open the Calendar app in iOS.
4 At the bottom of the screen, select Calendars and then choose Add Calendar followed by Add Subscription Calendar. Paste the copied link into the Subscription URL field and tap Subscribe.

Calendars added in this manner will now appear in the Apple Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.


iCal

Option 2
Apple Calendar on macOS UPDATED

1 On your Mac, using your browser, open this page and right-click on the desired Apple Calendar icon. Chrome users select Copy Link Address. Safari users select Copy Link.
2 On your Mac, launch Apple’s Calendar app.
3 From the File menu, select New Calendar Subscription…
4 Paste the copied link into the Calendar URL field and click Subscribe.

Calendars added in this manner will now appear in the Apple Calendar app on your Mac and can be synced to your mobile devices.


Google Calendar

Option 3
Google Calendar on Desktop, iOS Device or Android

1 On your Mac or PC, using your browser, open this page and right-click on the desired Google Calendar icon. Chrome users select Copy Link Address. Safari users select Copy Link.
2 Open a new tab or window and log in to your Google account online.
3 Click Calendar from the Google apps palette at the top right of the browser window.
4 In the left-hand menu, click ‘+’ next to Other Calendars and choose From URL.
5 Paste the copied link into the URL of calendar field and click Add calendar.

Calendars added in this manner will now appear in the Google Calendar app on your mobile device.


Google Calendar

Option 4
Microsoft Outlook on Desktop, iOS Device or Android

Direct subscriptions to our calendars are currently not recommended. Subscribed calendars may be successfully added in the browser version of Outlook 365 by clicking Add Calendar on the calendar page, followed by Subscribe from web, but real-time synchronisation with Outlook in this manner has not proved reliable. Our fully tested work-around is as follows:

1 Follow the steps in Option 3, above, and subscribe to all of the desired calendars in Google Calendar using your browser.
2 Open a new browser window and log in to your UTmail account online.
3 Click the Calendar icon from the pallet on the left (second icon down).
4 Click Add Calendar in the calendar pane, followed by Add personal calendars, in the pop-up dialogue window.
5 Click on Google to add synchronised calendars from your Google account.

All of your Google calendars will now be displayed in Outlook 365 and in your Outlook app on your mobile device.