Molecular Biologist

Molecular Biologist
Molecular biologists examine plant, animal or human genetics and the variation and relationships between them. Molecular biologists can work with DNA and RNA from humans, plants, animals and other organisms while using their knowledge of chemistry, physiology, genetics, physics and biology in their work.
What Responsibilities Will I Have?:
- Develop new methods to diagnose and treat diseases
- Detect and identify environmental pollutants
- Serve as a scientific advisor for business, government or education
- Look at genetic variations to determine how things are passed
- Genetically engineer new crops
- Conduct continued testing of new crops or other products
- Test the effectiveness of drugs used for treating diseases and gene growth
- Examine the sequence of DNA
- Supervise and direct the work of laboratory technicians
- Report findings through writing or presentations
- Compile data on research conducted
- Grow bacteria in order to determine product effectiveness
- Design and execute experiments
- Translate research into technologies that consumers can use or benefit from
- Extract DNA and RNA from cells and tissues
Recommended High School Courses:
The following high school courses are recommended: agricultural education, a focus on sciences such as chemistry, biology and physics, and mathematics.
Education/Training Required:
A bachelor’s degree in a life science with a concentration in molecular biology will allow you to obtain some roles. However, a master’s or doctorate degree will be required for the majority of the opportunities.