By Haley Graham
RVCC opened its new biotechnology lab in the fall of 2006. The lab, which cost more than $1.5 million, was built to support the biotech career, transfer and certificate programs. It gives students access to tools and equipment they would work with if they were in the industry. That’s because an advisory committee made up of biotech professionals helped plan the space and identified solutions to problems that arose during its design.
Biotech program graduates will compete for jobs in laboratories involved in research, product development, manufacturing, quality control, and clinical studies. Not surprisingly, Johnson and Johnson healthcare products company donated money to the biotech building fund.
Assistant Professor of Biotechnology Dr. Melanie Lenahan joined the RVCC faculty in 2003. Lenahan thinks having this lab will help train students for jobs as entry-level technicians in a variety of areas, including pharmaceutical biotechnology, as well as prepare others to continue their education elsewhere.
According to Lenahan, there is equipment in this learning facility that you would not see in other community colleges. “I think that this enables the students to learn more techniques that they probably wouldn’t learn elsewhere.” People from other colleges are “wowed” by the marvelous technology and equipment, she said. Those already working in the field are impressed, too.
Lenahan is a well-respected mentor of the biotechnology program. “Dr. Lenahan, who actually created the program, is a great person to talk to about the program,” said student Jeraldine Lin. “She is just so enthusiastic. I had her for several semesters and each lesson that we had she always was so excited to tell us about cells and everything you needed to know.”
Lenahan spends much of her time in the biotech lab. So does Martha Salas, the biotech lab prep assistant. Salas has earned the nickname “Biotech Lady,” for constantly being on top of things, keeping the equipment running smoothly and efficiently for students. One or the other of them is nearly always in the lab during school hours.
The biotech lab space used to be the lab for the optometry program. It took some time to relocate the optometry lab to the college center before this facility could be built. Once begun, renovations took almost a year to complete.
Lenahan takes special pride in the lab because she saw it evolve from the planning stages to completion. For her it was like watching something grow, she said. “I feel attached to it because it’s something we built... [It’s like our baby]...when something goes wrong, we get sad and try to fix it as soon as possible.”
It seems that everyone from teachers to students to alumni is pleased with the lab’s progress and production. “We are happy the lab is here,” Dr. Lenahan said, “and we’re going to try and make the best use that we can of it.”
“If someone was thinking about applying to the program, I’d tell them right away to go for it,” said Kyle Bailey, who graduated summa cum laude in 2007. “They are stepping into a whole new world of research and great experience that they can contribute to society,” he said.
Even students who have transferred to other schools return to RVCC to use the lab.
“It’s kind of nice because I do love the facilities here,” said Kean University transfer student Eva Garstka. The new lab will enable her to continue working at RVCC and “keep the relationships that I have built with the professors.”
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