MSc Industrial BiotechnologyNick Breland
Introduce yourself
I’m a software engineer with 8 years of experience developing web applications for a wide variety of industries. Before transitioning to the software industry, I completed an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering with a focus in biochemical engineering. I’m 30 years old, originally from the US, and I’ve lived in the UK for 5 years with my partner.
How did you make the decision to study at Strathclyde?
I wanted to reconnect with my background in the sciences and to use my software skills in an industrial context. With modules in big data and bioinformatics alongside biochemical and microbiology instruction, the MSc in Industrial Biotechnology seemed like an ideal opportunity to link these two domains. In addition, the summer placement component was a big part of my decision, as it would allow me to gain more experience in an industrial setting.
What specialist knowledge/professional skills did you develop whilst studying the course?
Along with gaining further experience in big data and machine learning, I learned how to navigate bioinformatics databases and use code libraries in R and Python for parsing bioinformatics data. I also developed new skills in microbiology lab technique and synthetic biology. By the time of the summer placement, I could confidently perform standard microbiological lab procedures and independently design my experiments.
What have you been up to since graduating from your course?
For a few months, I continued my software consulting business, developing a web app for the company with whom I did my placement. In December, I took up full-time employment as a senior software engineer for an industrial technology services company.
What are your ambitions for the future and how do you think your time at Strathclyde will help you achieve your goals?
I plan to continue to develop my career in software engineering for industrial applications. My time at Strathclyde gave me a chance to return to an industrial setting and to reorient myself to this focus in my existing software career. In addition, being a student at Strathclyde, and particularly within the IBioIC programme, connected me with a network of fascinating companies and researchers that I’ll remain in contact with in years to come.
What would you say to anyone thinking of coming to study at Strathclyde?
The MSc Industrial Biotechnology is a programme that lives up to Strathclyde’s motto “the place of useful learning.” I would recommend the programme to anyone seeking practical experience in biotechnology and to connect with the network of biotechnology enterprise and research in Scotland.
To anyone starting the programme, stay engaged! You will get out of the programme as much as you put into it. The instructors are very good, and in my experience, they always welcomed questions and were willing to help.
This is an intense one-year programme. In both the university coursework and the placement, time management is crucial. Use a system you can stick with, like a planner or a calendar, to plan study sessions and research work. The summer placement is the moment to show off what you’ve learned during the course—treat it as the capstone of your programme.