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Industry Practicum Project

88% of surveyed industry professionals say professional skills are important to job placement, making our Industry Practicum Project important to the success of MMB graduates as enter the workforce.

Each semester, students work with a different segment of the biosciences markets. Students rotate between large biopharma & medical device companies, small companies, and large industrial & agricultural biotechnology companies.

Industry
Partnership

Nearly 50 industry companies have worked with us since the program began in 2003.

Different Areas
of Industry

Students get exposure to a variety of different sectors within the biotech industry.

Develop Professional Skills

Students work in teams to foster communication, problem-solving and other important skills.

Industry Partnerships

The MMB Program students, faculty, and staff extend our warmest thanks to the companies and mentors who provide relevant, real-world projects and mentoring to the MMB students every semester.

Companies sponsoring practicum projects for the 2023 Fall semester are listed below, along with the mentor and project title where permissible.

CompanyProjectMentor (if applicable)
LabcorpProprietary
Latham BioPharm GroupDigital Health Market Analysis and Strategic Refinement for Enhanced Commercial OfferingsAndrew Harmon
FujiFilm Diosynth BiotechnologiesAseptic Manufacturing Process (AMP) in Biologics CDMO MarketNatalie Faulkner
FujiFilm Diosynth BiotechnologiesProgram History at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies: Where do Clinical Candidates Go?Daniel DeVido and Natalie Faulkner
Thermo Fisher ScientificOpportunity Analysis for OpenArray TechnologyVincent Green
Thermo Fisher ScientificProprietary

It’s not just our students that benefit from the MMB industry practicum project. Through these projects, MMB students have generated valuable insights and recommendations that have positively impacted partnering companies’ operations.

Overview of the industry practicum projects required for graduation with a Master’s in Microbial Biotechnology from NCSU.

How it Works

Over the course of three semesters, MMB students complete three practicum projects. Students spend the first few weeks of each semester learning about topics related to the biotechnology industry, attending seminars led by industry guest speakers, and practicing their oral and written communication skills.

For the rest of the semester, MMB students work in teams of 4-5 students to complete practicum projects developed by partnering companies in the Research Triangle Park (RTP) area. Industry-partner companies and student teams change each semester to increase exposure to different companies and foster versatility in teamwork. By pairing our industry practicum projects with a series of professional skill development modules, MMB students gain practical, industry-related experience, develop necessary professional skills, meet valuable contacts, and explore career paths.