Biotechnology plays a key role in the development of modern medicine, but its importance extends far beyond healthcare. It is also used in environmental protection, industry, biofuel production and the development of new materials and enzymes. Experts stress that biotechnology is one of the scientific fields offering broad opportunities for careers, research and innovation. In Wrocław, the sector’s development is being supported by universities and business, which are investing in education, research and modern laboratory infrastructure.
One of the initiatives promoting biotechnology among young people was Wrocław Biotechnology Day, organised around the opening of a new biological and chemical laboratory by Coventry University Wrocław.
“Biotechnology is extremely important. It is enough to go back a few years to the global pandemic to see the role the biotechnology sector played in saving the world,” said Professor John Dishman, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Coventry University Wrocław, who officially opened the new laboratory during the event.
According to experts, the need to develop biotechnology further is linked to its impact on almost every area of life. In medicine, it supports the creation of new therapies and drugs. In environmental protection, it contributes to the improvement and production of biofuels. In biological sciences, it enables the acquisition and use of enzymes and proteins that may serve as therapeutic targets or be applied in industry, for example in the production of succinic acid.
“Biotechnology affects almost all spheres of life. In medicine, it is used in the development of new therapies and medicines. In environmental protection, it contributes to the improvement and production of biofuels. In biological sciences, it enables the acquisition and use of enzymes and proteins that can serve as therapeutic targets or be applied in industry,” explained Dr Dorota Dobrzańska-Szoentag, Director of the Applied Biosciences programme at Coventry University Wrocław.
Biotechnology is increasingly seen as part of the response to major social and environmental challenges. These include climate change mitigation and adaptation, access to natural resources and their sustainable use, the restoration of natural systems, food security and human health.
Medical biotechnology is particularly important in addressing contemporary health challenges. It supports the development of innovative therapies, including medicines for patients with unmet medical needs and rare diseases.
“Medical biotechnology plays a key role in responding to today’s health challenges, especially in the development of innovative therapies, including medicines for patients with unmet medical needs or rare diseases. It is one of the most dynamic sectors, with a real impact on the quality and length of human life,” said Maja Halen, Director for Business-Academic Cooperation at BioInMed, the Polish Association of Innovative Medical Biotechnology Companies.
The wide range of areas in which biotechnology can be applied translates into broad opportunities for scientific and professional development. Experts point out that careers in the sector are no longer limited to laboratory work. Increasingly, the market needs people who combine knowledge of medicine and biology with data analytics, digital technologies and artificial intelligence.
“The industry offers broad development opportunities, including outside the laboratory. Interdisciplinary competences are becoming increasingly important, especially at the intersection of medicine, data analytics and new technologies, including AI. This is a direction that will shape the Life Science labour market even more strongly in the coming years,” Halen said.
Biotechnology companies are becoming more involved in education in order to adapt study programmes to the real needs of the labour market and increase the availability of specialists. This involvement has two main dimensions. The first is sharing knowledge and practical competences. The second is inspiring young people to choose studies in biosciences.
An example of this cooperation is the Applied Biosciences programme offered by Coventry University Wrocław.
“There is very strong interest, especially for the coming September, so we hope this programme will continue to develop. We have been running it for two years, which means the first students will complete their bachelor’s degrees next year. We are planning to introduce master’s studies so that in the future students can obtain a Master of Science degree and work in this industry in Poland or elsewhere in Europe,” Professor Dishman said.
Coventry University Wrocław is a branch of Coventry University, established in 2020 as the first British university in Poland. It is also home to the Coventry University Research Institute Europe, whose aim is to combine expertise from Coventry University’s UK research centres with the work of Polish scientists.
“A significant part of our staff works on topics related to biotechnology and its subsectors in the United Kingdom,” said the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Coventry University Wrocław. “We conduct a wide range of research. We have a very large research centre at Coventry University, and it shapes the direction of our teaching. This is a very important element of our activity, alongside other STEM subjects such as technology and engineering, which are also extremely important both for our university and for the UK economy.”
The Applied Biosciences programme in Wrocław has been designed not only to provide theoretical knowledge, but also to develop practical and soft skills. Students learn how to present data, use new technologies and work with artificial intelligence tools, including large language models used in assessment tasks.
“From the very beginning, the Applied Biosciences programme has focused on developing students not only in terms of knowledge and theoretical competences, but also soft skills, such as the ability to present data and apply new technologies, including AI large language models used in assessments,” Dr Dobrzańska-Szoentag said.
Students have access to laboratory space and research equipment from the start of their studies. According to the university, this gives them an advantage because they acquire practical skills in molecular techniques earlier than many of their peers at other institutions.
Wrocław Biotechnology Day was an opportunity to present this education model to students, school pupils and representatives of the sector. During the event, speakers emphasised the importance of learning through experience, working in small groups, becoming familiar with research methods and introducing students early to the laboratory and project-based nature of professional work.
“We wanted to present the newly opened laboratory space dedicated to Applied Biosciences students, but also to encourage young people from secondary and primary schools to take part in interactive workshops. Pupils had the opportunity to see DNA extraction from strawberries, the anatomy of an animal heart and workshops related to chemical reactions,” explained Dr Dobrzańska-Szoentag.
She added that the aim was to show that science and biotechnology are present in everyday life and that they are behind major progress in medicine, including the introduction of new cancer therapies.
According to Professor Dishman, practical work in the laboratory makes it easier for graduates to move from university into employment. Familiarity with modern laboratory equipment gives students a better understanding of how work is organised in professional research and industrial environments.
“The practical application of knowledge in the laboratory means that our graduates have extensive employment opportunities, and the transition from university to the workplace becomes much easier when they are already familiar with the equipment used in modern laboratories,” he said.
Wrocław Biotechnology Day also highlighted the importance of soft skills. While formal education, certificates and laboratory experience remain essential, employers increasingly value communication, teamwork, adaptability and the ability to work across disciplines.
“Wrocław Biotechnology Day was a fantastic opportunity to show young people which competences are crucial. We were able to tell them that hard skills, such as experience, certificates and completed studies, are very important. But beneath the surface there is a large additional part which today shows that soft skills are the most transferable and most desired,” said Halen.
She added that companies place strong emphasis on these competences and that young people should hear this message already in secondary school, before making decisions about their future education. Even if they later change their career path, soft skills can help them adapt to a different working environment.
The event combined education, science and the labour market perspective. It also presented Wrocław as a city that is consistently building future-oriented competences in biosciences.
“For years, Wrocław has been one of the strongest academic centres in Poland. Every year, we educate no fewer than 100,000 students at 30 universities, including 12 public institutions. We have around 400 research centres, focused among other things on biotechnology and chemistry. This is one of the future-oriented fields and is extremely important for the development of science. We are very pleased to be opening further laboratories. This is another research space that strengthens science and innovation in Wrocław,” said Michał Młyńczak, Deputy Mayor of Wrocław.
Wrocław’s position as an innovation centre is also reflected in the “Potential of Cities” survey conducted by the Polish Research Group on behalf of Łukasiewicz – PORT. Among the six cities analysed — Gdańsk, Łódź, Katowice, Kraków, Poznań and Wrocław — the capital of Lower Silesia was identified as the most innovative city in Poland. It received around 35 percent of responses, almost twice as many as Gdańsk, which came second with 18.95 percent.
The same survey showed that people aged 18–19 most often indicated Wrocław as the city with the greatest educational potential.
“The development of science and new technologies, including biotechnology, is simply part of our shared development. We are pleased that this is happening in Wrocław,” Młyńczak concluded.
