Biotech
From insulin-producing bacteria in 1982 to the Moderna IPO in 2020 — this track covers how biotech actually works. Pharmaceutical development, synthetic biology, diagnostics, industrial applications, agricultural biotech, and the structure of the industry itself. Ends with a capstone where you design your own venture.
Curriculum
9 modules · read in order-
B-01
What Biotech Actually Is
On October 14, 1980, Genentech went public. The company had no products and no revenue — just a demonstration that bacteria could make human insulin. It was worth $529 million by end of trading. This module is the map of what biotech is, where it came from, and why it matters.
-
B-02
The Molecular Toolkit
In 1982, the first batch of human insulin produced by bacteria was injected into a patient. That required restriction enzymes, plasmid vectors, PCR, gel electrophoresis, and transformation — tools so fundamental that every biotech product since has used some version of them.
-
B-03
Pharmaceutical Biotech
In 1998, the FDA approved Herceptin for breast cancer — a monoclonal antibody that targeted a specific protein overexpressed in certain tumors. It worked. This module covers how drugs go from molecule to market: discovery, preclinical testing, Phase I–III trials, and approval.
-
B-04
Industrial Biotech
About 75% of the world's laundry detergent contains enzymes produced by genetically engineered microorganisms. This module covers the biotech that runs outside of medicine — biofuels, bioplastics, industrial enzymes, bioremediation, and fermentation at industrial scale.
-
B-05
Agricultural & Food Biotech
In 2019, Burger King launched the Impossible Whopper. The headline product used heme — a molecule that makes meat taste like meat — produced by genetically engineered yeast. From GMO crops to cellular agriculture to plant-based proteins, this module covers how biotech is reshaping the food supply.
-
B-06
Diagnostics & Personalized Medicine
In January 2020, a Chinese scientist posted a novel coronavirus genome online. Within weeks, diagnostic tests existed worldwide. This module covers PCR diagnostics, sequencing-based tests, liquid biopsies, pharmacogenomics, and how molecular data is changing what medicine actually means.
-
B-07
Synthetic Biology
In 2010, Craig Venter's team announced the first synthetic cell — an organism running entirely on a computer-designed genome. Synthetic biology treats cells like programmable machines. This module covers genetic circuits, standardized parts, metabolic engineering, and what this field is actually capable of.
-
B-08
The Biotech Industry
Moderna was founded in 2010 with $40M and a single speculative platform. By 2022 it had generated $36B in revenue from one product. This module covers how the biotech industry actually works — startup structure, VC funding, Big Pharma partnerships, M&A, and why most companies fail.
-
B-09
Capstone — Design a Biotech Venture
You've covered the full stack — molecular tools, drug development, industrial applications, synthetic biology, and how the industry works. Now use all of it. This capstone walks you through designing a real biotech venture: problem framing, technical approach, competitive analysis, regulatory pathway, and pitch.
You've reached the end of Biotech