FREMONT: Ohlone College has organized a Biotechnology Institute from June 23 to July 21 at 43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont. For four weeks, twenty Bay Area students will explore Molecular-Cell Biology principles and lab skills at this summer workshop. The Summer Institute is providing a concentrated glimpse of the profession, allowing participants to explore biotechnology in a real-world setting.

The group is being trained in DNA isolation and sequencing, protein purification, sterile culture techniques, cell culture, and PCR, giving them hands-on skills using professional equipment and methodologies. The Ohlone Biotechnology Summer Institute 2008 participants were selected from applicants from Southern Alameda and Santa Clara Counties; students must have completed Honors or AP Biology and Honors or AP Chemistry, and be high school senior status or just graduated to be eligible for the program.

Each year the number of applicants grows, representing the largest number of regional high schools since the start of the program five years ago. This year, applications were received from students attending high schools such as Mission San Jose & Irvington high schools in Fremont; Lynbrook & Bellarmine High schools & Harker Academy in San Jose, James Logan in Union City, and Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton.

After transferring to universities, students who completed Ohlone's Biotech Summer Institute during previous years have reported that the experience and hands-on skills they learned enabled them as freshmen to successfully compete with juniors and seniors for university research assistant positions.