Training the Next Generation of Biotech Leaders at Carleton
Inside the New Masters of Biotechnology
Biotechnology sits at the intersection of scientific discovery and real-world impact. At Carleton, that intersection is home to a new Masters in Biotechnology: a program designed to prepare scientists to make discoveries and deliver beyond the lab.
Dr. Kama Szereszewski, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, has seen firsthand the gap between discovery and application in academia, startups, and industry. Now, she’s helped design a program to close it.
Dr. Szereszewski completed her own PhD at Carleton, studying extreme metabolic adaptations: how animals can survive freezing, oxygen deprivation and hibernation. As she approached graduation, she faced a question familiar to many grad students: what comes next?
She decided to leap into the biotech industry, joining an early-stage startup as its first research and development hire. In addition to research, she juggled intellectual property law, regulatory compliance and more. It was at the startup where Dr. Szereszewski learned firsthand how science becomes a product, shaping her belief that scientists can pursue more than just technical skills.
That experience would ultimately shape the foundation of Carleton’s new Masters in Biotechnology.
What is the Masters of Biotechnology?
While a traditional M.Sc. program focuses on discovery, the MBT is designed to help students deliver.
In the program, students learn to evaluate real-world discoveries through an industry lens, understanding how breakthroughs move beyond the lab and become real-world products.
The curriculum emphasizes exploration as much as specialization, giving students the flexibility to test ideas, refine their interests, and build professional skills before committing to a specific path.
Learning Alongside Industry
“What sets Carleton’s MBT apart from the rest is that we’re deeply integrated in the biotech ecosystem.” says Dr. Szereszewski.
Students can expect to take part in multi-year research and development projects while building a network of founders, investors, and industry leaders in the nation’s capital. Early feedback from professionals who have worked with the Carleton MBT students underscores the value of working with students that have both scientific and business insight.
Career Paths Without Limits
Dr. Szereszewski says her goal is to take brilliant scientists and transform them into high-caliber, industry-ready leaders with the technical expertise to innovate and the business acumen to bring those innovations to market.
Graduates of the MBT are equipped for a wide range of career paths, from research scientist, and translational researcher to project manager, regulatory affairs, IP strategist, or startup founder. Skills students gain are transferable across health, digital, biomedical, agriculture, environmental science, and sustainable biomaterial sectors.
The program is also flexible. Students can finish the degree in one year full-time or two years part-time, making it accessible to both recent grads as well as working professionals looking to upskill in their careers.
A Growing Biotech Pathway at Carleton
“Canada is poised to be a major player in biotech. We’re seeing investment in biomanufacturing and life science that’s surging nationally. Global pressures are creating challenges and forcing us to innovate. The Ottawa ecosystem is accelerating rapidly.”
The program enables students to explore their interests, follow their passions and ultimately determine their specialities. So whether you come in wanting to learn about medical devices, therapeutics, quantum science, biomaterials, or sustainability, you can hone in on the skills needed to find your niche – and become a professional in that space.
Dr. Szereszewski says that for science students interested in industry and academia, Carleton’s M. Biotechnology program is the best place to be.
“It’s not just another degree; it’s a career accelerator.”
Learn more about Carleton’s Masters of Biotechnology and apply today.
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