If you want to make a difference in healthcare and science, the University of New Hampshire’s College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (UNH COLSA) is a great place to start. Just ask Olivia Williams, who graduated in 2022 with her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences: medical microbiology, and then stayed at UNH to earn an MS in Molecular and Cellular Biotechnology (MCBT).
“I chose UNH because it has a great science curriculum that spans many different fields,” she says. “Specialised courses are also much smaller, and you get to interact with faculty directly, which is both helpful and unique.”
That’s what a UNH education is all about. Located in Durham, New Hampshire, it is the state’s flagship public research university. Recognised by the Carnegie Classification as a top-tier research institution, the university has been at the forefront of scientific innovation and education for over 150 years. The UNH COLSA community is especially committed to making a difference by addressing the world’s biggest challenges, from disease and environmental stress to food security.
With more than 1200 life sciences companies in the New Hampshire – Massachusetts biotech corridor, UNH is perfectly located to offer students opportunities and connections in the biotech and scientific research sectors.
COLSA offers specialised programmes such as the MS in Bioinformatics and the MS in Molecular and Cellular Biotechnology, each designed to prepare students for competitive roles in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and research. These programmes emphasise an in-person, customisable education that aligns with each student’s career goals.
“I was able to take just about any course that I thought was relevant to my own career goals and personalise the programme to fit me,” says Williams. “I was also able to have independent research projects and a summer internship count towards my degree, something that’s extremely difficult in other master’s programmes.”
For Nicholas Zylinski, a current molecular and cellular biotechnology student, COLSA’s tailored programme structure has been eye-opening. “This customised programme’s experience was crucial in allowing me to make meaningful self-assessments on my abilities and helped greatly in my understanding of what it takes to ‘walk the walk’ when it comes to scientific research,” he says.
Beyond customisation, COLSA’s programmes stand out for their supportive, hands-on learning environment. Students receive one-on-one mentoring from experienced faculty who are leaders in their fields. These mentors are well-connected with biotech companies like Lonza, Novo Nordisk, and Inari Agriculture — a network that effortlessly opens doors to students approaching graduation.
“The one-on-one mentoring and training I received during my time in the MCBT programme are unmatched,” Williams says. “My advisors were wonderful people and helpful with course selection and career counselling.”
The University of New Hampshire offers a customisable education with in-person classes and one-on-one mentoring from faculty. Source: University of New Hampshire
Zylinski agrees, stating, “What I love most about this programme is the opportunities I have had connecting with other researchers and professors at UNH. Being able to communicate with brilliant and inspired professors and colleagues allowed me to develop the tools necessary to best prepare myself for the transition from the academic world into the real-world industry of biotech and pharmaceuticals.”
The face-to-face interaction Zylinski speaks of is prominent across COLSA’s programmes, especially in lab-based courses, as it cultivates the critical thinking and practical skills essential for success in biotechnology.
For Zylinski, in-person labs were fundamental in developing skills he would later use in industry. “Without them, I would have felt that my education missed a large portion of what is expected from me from my employer, as well as a more accurate representation of theory when applied in real settings,” he says.
UNH’s state-of-the-art facilities further elevate the student experience. The Hubbard Center for Genomics and the University Instrumentation Center provide biotechnology students with access to cutting-edge equipment. The Hubbard Center, led by Professor W. Kelley Thomas, is one of the leading genomic research centers in the U.S. The center, which also provides training and education for UNH students, conducts cutting-edge research in areas such as genome sequencing and bioinformatics, with a focus on understanding the function of genomes from across the spectrum of life and works closely with industry partners to develop new genomics-based technologies and therapies.
These resources ensure that students in UNH’s biotechnology and bioinformatics programmes are accustomed to the advanced tools and resources that are often available only in professional research labs. This exposure nurtures skills and insights that will undoubtedly set them apart in the biotech and pharmaceutical fields and in the world’s finest research institutions.
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