About BT&C and OPS Diagnostics

Established in 1987, Biotechnology Training and Consulting (BT and C) originally focused on the training of pharmaceutical scientists in hands-on techniques in biotechnology. These training programs were held in conjunction with universities, colleges, and corporations, and employed over a dozen full and part-time faculty from the pharmaceutical industry. In 1991, the Biotechnology Training Institute was established as a permanent training facility. Over the next eight years, it hosted over 1500 administrators, executives, and scientists in courses ranging from basic biotechnology to peptide synthesis. Along with laboratory training, BT and C was requested to provide consulting, and contract services to sales and marketing groups of life science suppliers and distributors. This and other contract research activities steadily increased, and in 1998 replaced training activities at BT and C. Today, BT and C focuses on providing insight, technical support, and facilities for the development of products for life science laboratories.

Training

BT and C continues to provide training to scientists and nonscientists alike. Our efforts have shifted from general public offered programs to customized courses focused on our client needs. Courses range from "General Biotechnology" to techniques based courses in cell culture for GMP compliance. We are also active in regional technician training initiatives with area colleges.

Contract Research

BT and C, Inc., specializes in solving technical problems with creative solutions. Our experience in molecular and cell culture methods has been applied to a range of projects including DNA diagnostics and instrumentation for HTS. We actively work with engineers, life scientists, chemists, marketing managers, and corporate officers to fulfill their objectives.

Consulting

BT and C, Inc. works actively with clients to help them grow their business by understanding and meeting customer needs. Our experience at science and marketing is used to identify opportunities and turn those opportunities into revenues.

In-House Research Programs

Two ongoing research areas are pursued at BT and C, Inc. Under the direction of Dr. David Burden, a novel nucleic acid detection system is in development for the detection of multiple nucleic acid targets within one assay. This system is an extension of the PCR ELISA method. BT and C, Inc., is also pursuing methods to reduce variation in cultured cells systems, especially as it applies to HTS.

OPS Diagnostics

Through BT and C's contract and in-house research projects, we have developed an excellent understanding of the products and services we have developed. Consequently, we are able to offer our clients these products with the added value of excellent technical support. We routinely help our clients' to apply these products in new and unique manners to overcome research barriers. We also help in the design of custom products.

David W. Burden, Ph.D.

Dr. Burden founded BT&C as a graduate student at Rutgers University in 1987. Originally focused on training pharmaceutical scientists in cloning techniques during the molecular biology boom of the 1980s, the company evolved into a consulting and then contract research organization by the mid 1990s. While working with scientific equipment manufacturers, the development of and sale of niche scientific products was added to the BT&C's repertoire. OPS Diagnostics was founded to handle the product development and sales side of the business.