In 2002 the California Department of Education (CDE) awarded Mt. Carmel High School special funding to create a Biomed/Biotech Program and Center.  The program is rich in curriculum content, allows for the purchase of high-tech equipment, and includes career exploration opportunities.  Real-world, hands-on experiences await Mt. Carmel students!  

Funding from the CDE covers curriculum development and some equipment. Biology  teachers wrote curriculum to include challenging labs in the areas of Biotechnology, Genetics, Ecology, and Physiology.  All 9th grade students now have access to new biotech equipment—the same type of equipment found in industry and research labs.  Teachers used input from several academic and industry professionals to create these interesting and challenging units.  Chemistry and Human Biology teachers were trained in Pharmacology, a program offered by Duke University. Chemistry and Human Biology both have units exploring medical and illegal drugs and how they affect the body.

The program also allows students to expand their studies in the Biomedical and Biotech areas.  Human Biology, a second-year biology course (UC approved and articulated with community college), includes high-tech, hands-on physiology, biotech, forensic science, and genetics units.  The culminating course in the Biomed/Biotech Program is the advanced Biotech course (UC approved and articulated with community college), to be housed in a remodeled lab facility in 2006.  Students also have the awesome opportunity to participate in an Internship in Biotechnology or Medical field, or be a part of creating our own biotech company here on campus.

Funding for this program was provided by the California Department of Education, Specialized Secondary Programs Grant http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/sspgen.asp