Masters-level courses for a career in Biotech/Biopharmaceuticals?

[rmo_3000]

Greetings,

 

I'm a first year grad students in a Masters Program in Biotech. I'm hoping to get a handle on the courses I should take to boast my candidacy to employers in the Biotech/Biopharmaceutical Industry. This Fall I'm taking three courses: a 'Core' Class (required), a Molecular Bio Lab course, (as well as Mol Bio Lab II in Spring 2015 and and Mol Bio Lab III in Fall 2015), and a third class. Below I've listed the courses I'm considering. Among these courses, which would be most suitable for a student who hopes to work in the BioPharmaceutical Field, especially in the development of Biologics and/or Gene-Therapy or Stem-Cell Therapy?

 

Molecular Mechanisms in Biology (currently registered)

Topics include:

Principles of protein structure and folding

Enzyme structure and mechanism

Structure-based drug design

Molecular machines

Membrane proteins

Protein-nucleic acid recognition

RNA structure, ribozymes and riboswitches

Ligand-receptor recognition

Protein-protein interactions in signal transduction

Protein-protein interactions in immune recognition

Introduction to x-ray crystallography and electron microcopy

 

Virology 

Topics include:

Innate and Adaptive Immunity

Viral Evasion of host responses to infections, 

List of viruses to be covered include: Picornaviruses, Rotavirus, Norovirus, Arboviruses, Paramyxoviruses, Influenza, Rabies, Coronavirus, Human retroviruses & HIV, Adenovirus, Papillomaviruses, Alpha, Beta & Gamma Herpes viruses, and Viral hepatitis.

 

Molecular & Genetic Toxicology

Topics include:

DNA Damage & Mutagenesis

Cytotoxicity and Mutagenesis Assays

Transgenic Mutation Systems 

Epigenetic Toxicology                                          

Chemical & Physical Analysis DNA Adducts

DNA Repair & Repair Deficient Diseases

Germ Cell Mutagenesis        

Cytogenetic Endpoints &                      

Genome Instability Indicators                               

Co-mutagenesis  & Antimutagenesis                   

DNA Repair & Carcinogenesis- A Synthesis

 

Biotechnology & Healthcare

Topics include: 

Human development: growth and differentiation

Stem cells and tissue maintenance

Biology of regeneration

Regenerative therapy

Cloning technology

Reproductive and therapeutic cloning

Emerging regeneration technologies

Human Genome

Epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulations

Genetics and epigenetics in health and disease

Biology of aging

Biology of cancer

Why is Biotech a strategic technology? Conclusions

 

I realize that the Molecular Mechanisms course and the Virology course will cover highly in-depth material, the Toxicology course is largely built upon methodological approaches to assays, and the Biotech & Healthcare course is a 'broad sweep' of new technologies and approaches to diagnosis and treatment of human disease. Beyond this, however, I am confused  about which of these courses would be most ideal for my career goals mentioned above. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks for reading all this!!  

[Octopus28]

In my honest opinion, there's no right answer. Whichever molecular biology course you decide to take will help you one way or another!