# Biotechnology (BIOT) courses

Solano Community College · 2025-2026 Catalog · 22 courses

Source: https://solano.elumenapp.com/catalog/catalog2025-2026/department/biotechnology

"Offered" lists sections in this catalog year's class schedules: Spring 2026.

### BIOT 001 — Principles of Biotechnology

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIO 014 (Principles of Microbiology) or BIO 002 (Cell and Molecular Biology) or BIOT 160 (Basic Concepts/Methods in Biotechnology) or BIOT 010 (Introductory Biotechnology)
- **C-ID:** BIOT 101X
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 3 sections (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)
- General Education: SCC: Area 5; Cal-GETC: Area 5B

Covers topics important in the development, production, recovery, and analysis of products produced by biotechnology. The course traces the path of a drug or biologic from the cell through the production facility, the final processing, and into the human body. It discusses the growth characteristics of the organisms used to produce pharmaceutical proteins, the techniques used in product recovery, and the techniques used in product analysis. (Formerly BIOT 051)

### BIOT 003 — Fermentation: The Science of Beer and Brewing

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 2 hours lecture weekly, 3 hours lab weekly, 90 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Must be at least 18 years of age to Enroll. Permission of Instructor.
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Beer making, the oldest biotechnology process, introduces students to the concept of employing living cells to produce a value-added product. The course utilizes brewing principles to explore basic scientific, agricultural, and engineering principles: yeast cell structure and growth, cellular biochemistry including metabolism and fermentation, plant physiology and the agricultural practices used to grow different varieties of barley and hops, the biochemistry of malted barley and hops, the chemical reactions that occur during mashing and brewing, and the basic engineering of brewing equipment and processes. The course also covers business, regulatory, and cultural issues related to brewing. In the laboratory, students will brew beer using modern techniques and equipment. No one under the age of 21 will be able to taste a fermented product.

### BIOT 010 — Introductory Biotechnology

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 3 hours lab weekly, 108 contact hours total
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)
- General Education: SCC: Area 5; Cal-GETC: Area 5B, Area 5C

An application of biological principles as they relate to the field of biotechnology that applies these principles to produce products, especially medicines. Topics include the fundamental chemical processes common in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, the structure and function of biological molecules (proteins, enzymes, nucleic acids, and lipids), principles of cellular and molecular biology, basic immunology, and classical and molecular genetics with an emphasis on gene expression and genetic engineering. The laboratory addresses the core skills and techniques common to the biotechnology industry. This course is intended for students exploring a major in Biotechnology and as a general education option for all students.

### BIOT 052 — Business, Regulatory, and Quality Practices in Biotechnology

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)

Examine how basic business principles and sound manufacturing procedures assure the quality and safety of a biopharmaceutical as the manufacturing team moves a product down the biotechnology production pipeline. The course explores the role of governmental oversight, Quality Assurance practices, and regulation during the discovery, development, and manufacturing of new products produced by biotechnology. The course includes a discussion of current Good Manufacturing Practices, Good Laboratory Practices, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Validation.

### BIOT 057 — Synthetic Biology and Algae Biotechnology

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 2 hours lecture weekly, 3 hours lab weekly, 90 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIO 002 (Cell and Molecular Biology) or BIO 014 (Principles of Microbiology)
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Combines two emerging areas in biotechnology through exploration of advances in synthetic biology and algae biotechnology. Synthetic biology applies advanced gene editing techniques for the creation of new organisms. Topics include synthetic DNA synthesis, minimal cells, manipulation of biobricks, gene circuits, CRISPR/Cas and other gene editing tools, and cell free production. These techniques can be utilized to produce biomaterials, DNA for gene therapy, and algae bio-based production. Students isolate, identify, manipulate, grow, monitor, and harvest algae for biofuels, nutraceuticals, industrial enzymes, and therapeutic proteins in the laboratory.

### BIOT 060 — Mammalian Cell Culture

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 1 hours lecture weekly, 6 hours lab weekly, 126 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIO 002 (Cell and Molecular Biology) or BIO 014 (Principles of Microbiology)
- **C-ID:** BIOT 230X
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)

Lab-intensive course on mammalian cell culture techniques that include working under aseptic conditions, sterile techniques in a biosafety cabinet (laminar flow hood), media preparation, quantification and passage of cells, and cryopreservation of cell lines. Laboratory experience prepares students for work in industry. Students may be required to perform laboratory tasks outside of class hours to care for cells.

### BIOT 061 — Stem Cells and Gene Therapy Vectors

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 1 hours lecture weekly, 6 hours lab weekly, 126 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIO 002 (Cell and Molecular Biology) or BIO 014 (Principles of Microbiology)
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Covers the principles of stem cell biology, cell therapies (like CAR-T treatments of cancer), and the production of virus vectors for gene therapies. Topics include the technological and regulatory considerations required to generate immune cells or stem cells as therapy agents and the manufacturing techniques used to generate virus vectors for gene therapy or to transduce cells. This includes the growth of embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and the ethical issues involved in stem cell research. Emphasis on laboratory techniques including culture and analysis of cells, and the use of several methods of cell culture used in the production of viruses.

### BIOT 062 — Cell Culture and Protein Recovery

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 2 hours lecture weekly, 6 hours lab weekly, 144 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIO 002 (Cell and Molecular Biology) or BIO 014 (Principles of Microbiology) or BIOT 010 (Introductory Biotechnology)
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

This laboratory course teaches the skills needed to serve as a technician in biotechnology production. Students grow and monitor bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cells on a laboratory scale that emulates the large-scale production used in industry. Students will become familiar with the cleaning, sterilization, aseptic inoculation, operation, and monitoring of fermenters and bioreactors. Students then recover and purify proteins produced by those cell cultures. They recover and purify proteins using centrifugation, ultrafiltration, and chromatography techniques. The course emphasizes the use of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), and students gain experience following Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).<br>

### BIOT 063 — Biotechnology Instrumentation: Quality Control & Genetic Engineering

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 2 hours lecture weekly, 6 hours lab weekly, 144 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIO 002 (Cell and Molecular Biology) or BIO 014 (Principles of Microbiology) or BIOT 160 (Basic Concepts/Methods in Biotechnology) or BIOT 010 (Introductory Biotechnology)
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)

This course familiarizes students with small scale laboratory practices, both those used in a research laboratory and those used by a quality control department in industry, to analyze the quality of a cell culture process and the purity of protein products produced by cells in culture. The course emphasizes the use of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) in these analyses. Students will gain experience in techniques used to analyze nucleic acids and in the genetic engineering of cells. They will also gain experience with the common assays used in Quality Control including electrophoresis, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to test products generated using cell culture.<br>

### BIOT 065 — Biomanufacturing Fundamentals

- **Units:** 1
- **Hours:** 0.5 hours lecture weekly, 1.5 hours lab weekly, 36 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIO 002 (Cell and Molecular Biology) or BIO 014 (Principles of Microbiology)
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

A short format course that explores the basic biological, chemical, engineering, and regulatory concepts utilized to manufacture products using genetically engineered cells. It covers host strain selection, cell banking and seed train, bioreactor operation and monitoring, recovery and purification techniques, and the regulatory environment required for biomanufacturing of products at a large scale. Not open to students who have successfully completed BIOT 062.

### BIOT 066 — Principles and Practice of Biomanufacturing

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 3 hours lab weekly, 108 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIO 014 (Principles of Microbiology) or BIO 002 (Cell and Molecular Biology)
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Provides conceptual knowledge and hands-on training related to the manufacture of biological molecules using genetically engineered cells. Students will learn cell culture techniques that include working under aseptic conditions, sterile techniques, media preparation, cell and molecule quantification, and the scale-up of cell cultures. Students will inoculate, monitor growth, and harvest cultures from bioreactors. This course also covers protein recovery, concentration, and purification techniques including sample preparation, tangential flow filtration, column chromatograph, and the use of assays for purification analysis. Students will become familiar with the regulatory environment of biomanufacturing including current Good Manufacturing Process (cGMP), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s), and production batch records.

### BIOT 160 — Basic Concepts/Methods in Biotechnology

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 2 hours lecture weekly, 6 hours lab weekly, 144 contact hours total
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule
- Not transferable

This course serves as a prerequisite to Solano College's biotechnology courses by giving students knowledge of the basic concepts in biology and chemistry used in biotechnology while also developing the basic laboratory skills required to succeed in this field.

### BIOT 401 — Biomanufacturing Process Sciences and Engineering Principles

- **Units:** 5
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 6 hours lab weekly, 162 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Admission into the Biomanufacturing Baccalaureate program
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Builds upon the scientific knowledge underlying chemical engineering principles (for example fluid flow, mass transfer, heat transfer, and the energy relationship of fluid systems) to design, develop, and optimize key parameters in a biomanufacturing process. Process development includes the optimization of media composition, fermenter and bioreactor design, the design of downstream processes, instrumentation, engineering systems, and process control systems to maximize the yield and integrity of a protein pharmaceutical.

### BIOT 402 — Design of Experiments for Biomanufacturing

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 3 hours lab weekly, 108 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Admission into the Biomanufacturing Baccalaureate program
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)

Teaches the formal approach called “Design of Experiments” (DoE), a system that optimizes a process through the methodical varying of key parameters and a formalized approach to the analysis, interpretation, and application of the results. DoE is designed to make any process more robust and to minimize variability from external sources. The course builds upon the statistical concepts required for DoE including hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, statistical models, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The DoE approach systematically varies the parameters of a biomanufacturing project to improve its operation.

### BIOT 403 — Design of Biomanufacturing Facilities, Critical Utilities, Processes, and Equipment

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 4 hours lecture weekly, 72 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Admission into the Biomanufacturing Baccalaureate program
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)

Students analyze and evaluate how the design of a biomanufacturing facility uses one-way personnel flow and one-way material flow to maintain appropriate levels of cleanliness and sterility the promote the production of safe and effective products. Students analyze the design of the processes, equipment, and instrumentation used in biological production to generate critical utilities, aseptic systems, environmental control and monitoring, upstream production, and downstream (recovery and purification) production within a regulated environment.

### BIOT 404 — Bioprocess Monitoring and Control

- **Units:** 5
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 6 hours lab weekly, 162 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIOT 401 (Biomanufacturing Process Sciences and Engineering Principles)
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)

Covers the measurement, monitoring, modeling, and control of biomanufacturing processes and the statistical methodology used for measuring, analyzing, and controlling quality during the manufacturing process including control charts and the analysis of process capabilities.

### BIOT 405 — Emerging Biomanufacturing Technologies

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** BIOT 401 (Biomanufacturing Process Sciences and Engineering Principles)
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Focuses on biomanufacturing advances and emerging technologies in biological production and protein purification operations. In the course students compare the advantages and disadvantages of the new technology to traditional technologies and approaches.

### BIOT 406 — Supply Chain and Enterprise Resource Planning in Biomanufacturing

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Permission of Faculty
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Students gain knowledge of how companies manage the complete flow of materials in a supply chain from suppliers to customers. This course covers the design, planning, execution, monitoring, and control of raw materials, personnel resources, inventory management, and distribution. At the end students will have the knowledge required to take the CPIM (Certified in Production and Inventory Management) certification test administered by APICS (the American Production and Inventory Control Society)

### BIOT 407 — Advanced Topics in Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 4 hours lecture weekly, 72 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Permission of Faculty
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Builds upon previous knowledge of quality assurance and regulatory affairs to study the harmonized quality system approaches of ICH (the International Committee on Harmonisation) Q8, Q9, Q10, and Q11. The course pays special attention to the topics of quality risk management, qualification, and validation. This course content has been aligned with the American Society for Quality’s Body of Knowledge for a Certified Pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Practice Professional examination.

### BIOT 408 — Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 4 hours lecture weekly, 72 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Permission of Faculty
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Covers the Six Sigma approach to the maintenance and improvement of biomanufacturing processes. It incorporates the DMAIC phases: design, measure, analyze, improve, and control. The course covers the use and implementation of lean manufacturing tools that biomanufacturing companies use to reduce waste. At the end of the course students will be prepared to take the certification test administered by the American Society for Quality for qualification with a yellow belt in Six Sigma.

### BIOT 409 — Methods in Quality Improvements, Investigations, and Audits

- **Units:** 4
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 3 hours lab weekly, 108 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Admission into the Biomanufacturing Baccalaureate program and BIOT 407 (Advanced Topics in Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs)
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)

Examines the investigational methods used by quality assurance departments to analyze process deviations and make the decision about the severity of the deviation. In this course students learn to write industry-standard CAPA (Corrective Action Preventative Action) report to conclude what corrective and preventative actions result from the investigation. The course also covers how a company would perform an internal audit in anticipation of an inspection by the Food and Drug Administration or an external audit for the supplier of a key raw material. This course content has been aligned with the American Society for Quality’s Body of Knowledge for a Certified Quality Technician examination.

### BIOT 410 — Emerging Trends in Biomanufacturing Quality

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Admission into the Biomanufacturing Baccalaureate program and BIOT 407 (Advanced Topics in Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs)
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/biot.md)

Examines the process by which the quality systems of biomanufacturing evolve by examining a selected current trend in the laws and regulations governing pharmaceutical manufacturing. In this course students evaluate the effectiveness of the laws and regulations governing pharmaceutical manufacturing.