This program developed as a response to student interest and the need for qualified, well trained graduates in the new emerging field of Biotechnology.  This program is one of the first of its kind in Pennsylvania.  It serves the need of northeast Pennsylvania, northwestern New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley where there is an accelerating growth of biotechnology clusters.  This gives the department a chance to be a leader in this field rather than a follower. As has been recognized by the national science and technology council, the powerful tools of biotechnology have revolutionized medicine, agriculture, and environmental protection . . . but biotechnology is about more than jobs and economy; it provides the means for a vastly improved quality of life for all Americans and the world.