Do you want to be a...

Tissue Culture Technician

Tissue culture technicians use various techniques to asexually reproduce live tissue, under laboratory conditions, producing specimens that are genetically identical to, or different from, the parent tissue.

The process of producing genetically identical specimens is commonly known as cloning.

Tissue culture is used for a wide variety of commercially important agricultural and horticultural plants, in the propagation of rare and endangered plant species, and in the growth of tissues or cells used in health and medical research and treatments.

Tissue culture technicians mostly work in laboratories, with a small amount of field and shadehouse work.

TASKS

Tissue culture technicians may perform the following tasks:

clean, sterilise and maintain equipment and facilities
set up and operate equipment including microscopes, environmental chambers (incubators) and centrifuges
select live material with the desired characteristics
dissect and test tissues or cells for viruses and other diseases
prepare selected tissues or cells for reproduction
prepare reproductive and growth chemical solutions (medias) suitable for the species to be cloned
chemically treat selected tissues or cells to induce genetic mutations
place tissues or cells in sterile chemical solutions or medias and place on shakers to initiate reproduction or growth
place reproduced plant material in sealed sterile containers containing a nutrient gel, then grow under controlled temperature and light conditions, repeating this process until the specimens are of sufficient size
grow samples of cloned cells or organisms to maturity and monitor them for desirable or undesirable genetic mutations (genotypes) or characteristics (phenotypes)
record results by using computers or other methods

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS

good eyesight (may be corrected)
good hand-eye coordination
able to concentrate on detail
able to keep records accurately

Interest Area

EDUCATION & TRAINING

You can work as a tissue culture technician without formal qualifications. You will probably get some informal training on the job.

Entry to this occupation may be improved if you have qualifications.

You may like to consider a VOC qualification in laboratory skills, laboratory techniques or laboratory technology. As subjects and prerequisites can vary between institutions, you should contact your chosen institution for further information. You may be able to study through distance education.

You can also become a tissue culture technician through a traineeship in Laboratory Skills, Laboratory Techniques or LaboratoryTechnology.

Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Employment opportunities exist in universities and in federal, state and territory government organisations, as well as with private agricultural/horticultural firms and medical research laboratories and institutions.

Job prospects depend on the level of government funding, the extent of private sector research, and competition from people with degrees trying to enter the field by starting as a technician.