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Department of Plant and Microbial Biology 
Master of Microbial Biotechnology

Capstone Course and Project

Entrepreneurial skills are highly valuable throughout your career. The Capstone Course for the MMB program will help you develop these skills through concepts of entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, strategy, and innovation. This course serves as a culminating experience that calls on students to use the knowledge, skills, and abilities they developed throughout the program. 

As the primary activity of the course, student-teams complete a semester-long capstone project to develop and refine skills in the identification of new ventures and turning ideas into reality. Teams create a proposal for the formation of a company that fulfills an unmet need and then develops a comprehensive, customer-validated business model. A panel of experienced entrepreneurs provides feedback during the project and evaluation of the final plan.

Learning Objectives

In this course, students will:

  • Evaluate industry and market trends to predict opportunities.
  • Utilize multiple ideation strategies to identify problems and generate solutions relevant to the biotechnology/biopharmaceutical industry.
  • Develop an evidence-based business model for the product or service that includes identification and evaluation of the value proposition, customer segment, customer relationship, channels, key partners, key resources, key activities, cost structure, and revenue stream.
  • Effectively communicate the value of a product, service, or technology and the financial feasibility for the respective product or service through a variety of media.
  • Collaborate with a team in a productive and professional manner.
  • Document evidence that displays professional knowledge, skills, and abilities through a Dossier/eDossier.

Past Capstone Projects

Bio-Based Protein Solutions for Cosmetic Formulations

Team Members: Stephanie Charlino, Charne Meintjes, Mason Neal, and Haley Woolard

Reduction of Lateral Shoot Formation in Tobacco

Team Members: Spencer Haroldson, Kylie Herst, Ryan Puckett, and Raazia Zia

Elevate your Bioproduction: A Breakthrough Solution for Scale-Up Success

Team Members: Marianne de Bedout, Joshua Scholz, Monica Judd, Autumn Dean, and Yahara Touprong

INCLU: Tactile Pregnancy Test

Team Members:  Michaela Coates, Madison Hellner, Sophie Lindem, Emory New, Diego Rendon

CitraHealth: A little microbe goes a long way in citrus protection

Team Members: Erin Cavanaugh, Shreeja Chhaya, Cassandra Suedbeck, Tom Williams

Root Reclaim: Creating Better Pots for Better Plants with Temporary Terra

Team Members: Kathryn Landry, Miguel Sanchez, Connor Steenbock, and Gordon Sylvester

Juiced Up: A Trusted CBD Beverage Brand Centered Around
Education Based Marketing
Team Members: 
Rachel Brunjes, Ben Jones, Jamie Levi, Logan Miller, and Danyal Wasti

LIVARI: Live and Restore Intimacy
Team Members: 
Caycie Etris, Pauline Lee, Billy Marx, Mila Parker, and Dilán Rivera

microbite: Innovating Aquaculture One Bite at a Time
Team Members: 
Natalie Faulkner, Daniel Onuoha, Emily Sugg, Ramya Vijapurapu,
and Daniel Watson

Pro-Bone-Os: A Daily Delight To Keep Your Dog Right!
Team Members: 
Karly Dugan, Madison Frye, April Nettesheim and Alex Rojas

Algae Hive – See What All The Buzz Is About!
Team Members: 
Jordan Bischoff, Olivia Helvey, Lara Queck, Cat Sweeney and Maggie Thraen

Periodont: In The Pursuit Of Purrfect Teeth
Team Members: 
Allison Eble, Hannah Kennel, Jamal Koledoye and Michelle Sanchez

YEATS: Yeast Driven. Human Focused.
Team Members: 
Shannon Harris, Mitch Killar, Anarita Lynch, Caleb Ocampo and Emily Vernon.

TickTrack: Empowering the World to Get Back Out There
Team Members: 
Hank Beggs, Grace Carrell, Monica Driscoll, Jennifer Massengill and Leslie Shannon

TakeRoot: An Online Tool to Enable Consumers to Make Informed, Personalized Decisions About Their Microbiome Health
Team Members: 
Alex Burd, Drew Dispennette, Travis Kernodle and Kristine Newman

Aster Therapeutics, Asternib: Get the Life You Love Back!
Team Members: 
Rivers Baker, Mark Buckles, Anne-Claire Den Hartog, Carly Elkins and Ryan Larsen

Udderly Clean: The Natural Solution to Mastitis
Team Members: 
Chris Carlin, Sarah Grigg, Briggs Hagler, Jacob Hyman and Megan Mackowiak

TRACne: Find the Face of Tomorrow
Team Members: 
Andrew Harmon, Caty Metcalf, Abigail Nails, Esteban Niaves Nava and Jake Trimble

Want to learn more about the program?

Complete our interest form and someone will be in touch with you. 

Ready to start your journey?

Review our admission requirements and submit your application.