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About The Institute
History
The idea of establishing the International
Institute of Biochemical and Biomedical Technology originated with Dr.
R. Haque, Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of
Illinois at the Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Dr.
Haque has been a teacher and scientist for more than 20 years. After
seeing students of all ages struggling with science, he noted that the
fault lay not with the students, but with the methods by which science
is taught. The overly fragmented manner in which the subject is
presented to students results in their learning by bits and pieces.
The students' confusion lies in their never knowing or understanding
whole concepts, and this confusion turns many away from science.
Another dilemma for science students exists in
the quantity of overlap, i.e., too many of the same items of
information, under different guises, are repeated in various courses.
Such repetition overwhelms students and adds to their confusion.
With this frame of reference, Dr. Haque set out to prepare a list of skills
and concepts essential to a working knowledge of science.
Surprisingly, this list turned out to be not as lengthy or complex as
one might expect; it contains only 150 items, and it criss-crosses
subject barriers in such a way that it forms a unified curriculum,
replacing the conventional subject oriented curriculum.
An
additional characteristic of this list is that it not only introduces
students to science in general, but it also prepares them for jobs and
careers in the field of Biochemical and Biomedical Technology. Thus,
the program offers both an immediate and a long term benefit to the
student; immediate benefit in the form of a possible job in the field
of Biochemical and Biomedical Technology, and long term in the form
of a career in science.
Implementing
this unified curriculum is the task of the Institute. Here, teaching
follows an extemporaneous design, and, as much as possible, is free
of voluminous textbooks and lectures. Instead, students work in a
laboratory setting, under the guidance of a supervisor, learning
required skills and concepts by individually performing all
experiments and procedures as detailed in specially designed
workbooks. The workbooks cover the procedures, as well as the use,
limitations and applications of each. Skills and concepts acquired in
this method become tools for thinking and functioning, the two most
often identified areas of deficiency in current students of science.
Function
The chief function of the Institute is to
implement the teaching program as outlined previously. It offers both
basic and advanced curricula to enable students to: 1) understand and
enjoy science; 2) become versatile laboratory personnel capable of
working in a variety of laboratories; and 3) pursue advanced careers
in colleges and universities.
Objectives
- To introduce students to science in general
and through it to the field of Biochemical and Biomedical
Technology.
- To prepare people for positions as versatile laboratory technicians.
- To
provide essential conceptual and laboratory background so students
can perform better in science
courses in colleges and universities.
- To
enhance public awareness of Science in general and Biochemical and
Biomedical Technology in particular so they could make day to day
decisions about their lives on a rational basis and not based on
fear and hearsay.
Nature
and Mode of Training
The
Institute offers technical education in the form of short and long term
training programs. Its basic curriculum consists of 150 concepts and
skills drawn from subjects such as chemistry, biochemistry, physiology,
microbiology, biology, pathology, anatomy, histology, pharmacology,
immunology and hematology. These are presented in an integrated manner
so that a student can learn a vast amount of material in a relatively
short period of time and relate it to both his work and everyday life.
The
learning process at the Institute is further expedited because students
learn in a laboratory setting. Instructors provide all necessary
information in written manuals which explain various concepts and skills
and their relevance to science in general and to Biochemical and
Biomedical Technology in particular.
Laboratory
sessions include a brief, concise explanation coupled with a
demonstration, which is followed by a practice period. Students actually
perform the previously demonstrated procedure and so understand and feel
the underlying concept. Textbooks are utilized when the students have
begun to think more clearly in terms of the subject matter. At that
point, books become more meaningful and purposeful, as references to
motivate and stimulate thought and to provide answers.
Physical
Facilities
The Institute is housed in a three story
facility totaling approximately 14,000 square feet.
Equipment
The
Institute is equipped with such instruments as: light, phase contrast,
dark field and fluorescent microscopes; autoclaves; incubators;
centrifuges; colony counters; balances; pH and conductivity meters;
flash evaporators; spectrophotometers; plus equipment for filtration;
ultra-filtration; freeze drying; column, thin layer and gas
chromatography; and electrophoresis. A unique feature of the Institute
is that all equipment is freely accessible to students during their
training.
Approval Status
The institute is granted an exempt status by the Illinois State Board of Education.
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