- Diploma prepared: Polytech Marseille engineer specializing in Biological Engineering.
- Average number of students in a class: 40
- Student profiles on entry*: Life sciences, biology, process engineering
- Areas of training concerned (among the 12 areas of the Polytech network): Biological and food engineering
- Possible courses: Initial training (FI), Continuing education (FC), Professionalization contract in final year (CP)
- Campus : Luminy
* Please note that the PeiP A preparatory courses, including the one at Polytech Marseille, do not give access to the Biological Engineering specialization at Polytech Marseille. Other schools in the Polytech network offer preparatory courses with a life sciences focus (PeiP B), which can be used to enter this field.
Purpose of the program
This program trains high-level scientific and technical engineers in the field of biotechnology, specializing in the most advanced applications of microbiology and cell biology (molecular biology, cell culture, genetic engineering, biochemical engineering, genomics....). It is geared towards the design, production and implementation of new products(Research and Development) and biological processes(Bio-production), in the fields of Health and Environmental Biotechnology. This training covers the production, extraction and purification of biological products using microorganisms or human, animal or plant cells. It also covers the mastery of analytical techniques and methodologies to ensure quality control and compliance with best practices in bioprocesses.
Finally, Polytech engineers are introduced to corporate life and career management, with particular emphasis on their ability to communicate, update, innovate and lead teams.
Student testimonials
My career at Polytech Marseille has been very varied. Indeed, thanks to my involvement in the BDE association, its various clubs and the Gala association, I've developed a multitude of skills. What's more, Polytech Marseille also gives me the opportunity to go abroad. I spent 1 month in the Netherlands in 3rd year and 3 months in Tahiti in 4th year.
During my three years at Polytech Marseille, I was very involved in the school's community life. In particular, I was elected president of the BDE and then treasurer of the gala association. These various roles have enabled me to develop a wide range of skills, particularly in management and project management. To further develop these skills, I did a work-study program at Sartorius in my final year. This enabled me to combine them with my scientific skills to develop as an engineer within a multinational company.
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3rd year
The composition and content of 3rd year courses are designed to bring all students from different backgrounds up to the same level. The one-month end-of-year internship in a professional environment can also be validated by an equivalent activity: CDD in a company in France or abroad, or by a WOOFING experience in an international company/farm.
Semester 5
- UE - Microbiology-Genetics (8 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - Structural biochemistry and enzymology (8 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - Mathematics-Statistics-Computing-Physics (9 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - General Training (5 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
Semester 6
- UE - Immunology-Cell Biology-Virology (7 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - Chemistry-Process Engineering (9 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - Microbial Physiology-Metabolism (6 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - General Training 2 (5 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - Internship (3 ECTS; 4-8 weeks of internship)
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4th year
The first semester, S7, of the 4th year can also be spent at a foreign university. From S8 onwards, students can personalize their training with teaching modules and practical work of their choice. Semester S8 is open to foreign students and includes a 30 ECTS course in English. The end-of-year internship is carried out in a research laboratory in France or abroad.
Semester 7
- UE - Genetic Engineering (7 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - Process Engineering-Biochemical Engineering (10 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - Enzymatic Engineering and Metabolism (5 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
- UE - General Training 3 (8 ECTS; lectures and practical work)
Semester 8
- UE - Bibliographic and bioinformatics project (6 ECTS; lectures and practical exercises)
- UE - Experimental modules and lectures (2 ECTS; 1 TP / 3 TP of your choice)
- UE - Theoretical modules (9 ECTS; 6 modules / 12 modules to choose from)
- UE - General training 3 (3 ECTS, courses and TD)
- UE - Research internship (10 ECTS; 8 - 13 weeks of internship)
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5th year
The 5th year can also be taken as an apprenticeship with a professional contract. In S9, students continue to personalize their career paths. Several double degree options with the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Health Science and KEDGE are available in 5th year. The S10 internship is carried out in a company in France or abroad.
Semester 9
- UE - Specialized teaching (6 ECTS; 2 modules / 6 modules to choose from)
- UE - Applications (6 ECTS; 2-3 practical exercises / 9 practical exercises to choose from)
- UE - Industrial application work (9 ECTS; Group project)
- UE - General training and engineering sciences (9 ECTS; courses and TD)
Semester 10
UE - Internship (30 ECTS; 5-6 months internship)
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Double curriculum
Dual Master's degree in management (KEDGE)
With a view to training dual-skilled engineers in high demand on the job market, all Polytech Marseille courses offer a dual degree program: engineering diploma + master's degree in management, in collaboration with Kedge, the Marseille business school.
Double curriculum with the Faculty of Science
Open in 5th year for students interested in research careers and thesis studies:
- Master Microbiology: Microbial Engineering and Biotechnology (IBM) course
- Master Microbiology: Integrative and Fundamental Microbiology course (MIF)
- Master Structural Biology and Genomics: Structural Biology (BS) specialization
- Master in Structural Biology and Genomics: Genomics and Data Analysis (GAD) course
- Master in Food and Environmental Science and Technology : Environmental Biology and Biotechnology course (BBE)
- Master in Immunology (only for students entering Polytech in 4A and coming from M1 Immunology)
- DESU Experimental Strategies and Information Processing (SETI)
Double curriculum with the Faculty of Health Sciences
Open in 5th year for students interested in research careers and thesis studies:
- Master Biology-Health: Infectious Diseases and Microbiota pathway
- Master Biology-Health: Oncology pathway
- Master Biology-Health: Health and Environment pathway
- Master Biology-Health: Metabolic and Vascular Diseases specialization
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Semesters at other schools
Semester at another school in the Polytech network
A student enrolled at Polytech Marseille can spend the 5th year at another school in the Polytech network and still graduate in Marseille. They can choose one of the schools in the network's biological engineering stream:
- FISE Clermont - Biological Engineering
- FISE Nice - Biological Engineering
- FISE Montpellier - Biological and agri-food engineering
- FISE Angers - Biological engineering and health
- FISE Sorbonne - Agribusiness
- FISE Lille - Biological and food engineering
- FISE Nantes - Process and Bioprocess Engineering
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Further studies
- KEDGE's MSc training offer: Management of health and innovative health activities in a sandwich course
- IAE Aix-Marseille's MSc programs in management
- PhD thesis
Teaching environment
The Marseille-Luminy campus is a major research hub in the life sciences, recognized in the health and environment sectors, with strong links to academic and industrial research. The teaching and research staff come from the scientific and technological laboratories of major research organizations involved in biotechnology fundamentals and applications, such as CNRS, INRAe, INSERM and IRD.
Students have access to first-rate facilities and scientific platforms.
Lecturers from French and foreign biotech companies also contribute to the teaching program.
Example of teaching equipment
To make it easier for students to enter the workforce and develop their entrepreneurial spirit while providing theoretical training, Polytech Marseille offers students project-based teaching, internships and the possibility of a professionalization contract as part of their engineering curriculum.
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Professional integration
This course trains high-level scientific and technical engineers in the field of biotechnology, specializing in the most advanced applications in this field (genetic engineering, biochemical engineering, applied microbiology, protein engineering, cell and tissue engineering, immunotechnology, proteins for therapeutic use, bioprocesses, qualitý of bioproducts).
Sectors of activity of employers in the Biological Engineering sector- 48% Pharmaceutical Industries
- 26% Research & Development
- 19% Consulting Engineering
- 7% Others
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Job opportunities
Graduates of this program work for companies in the health, environment, agri-food and cosmetics sectors, but may also be employed by engineering firms or in public research.
- Research engineer (Public)
- Research and development engineer (Industry)
- Clinical research associate (with additional training)
- Design engineer
- Product manager
- Project manager
- Business engineer
- Bioprocess engineer
- Biomanufacturing quality engineer
- Biomanufacturing validation engineer
- Technical sales engineer
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Examples of graduate employers
ALTEN I ALTRAN I AMGEN I AMYLGEN I APHM - HOPITAUX DE MARSEILLE I ASSYSTEM I BASF I BAXTER I BECKMAN COULTER I BECTON DICKINSON I BGENE I BIOLINE AGROSCIENC I BIOMERIEUX I BIO- RADRAD I BIOTECHMARINE I BOIRON LABORATOIRES I BOEHRINGER I CEA I CNRS I CONSULTYS I CISBIO BIOASSAYS I DANONE I DIAGNOSTICA STAGO I DSM NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS I ETABLISSEMENT FRANÇAIS DU SANG I EUROFINS SCIENTIFIC I EXPLEO I FRESENIUS KABI I GALDERMA R&D I GENENTECH I GENFIT I GENZYME I GEO VAX LABS I GIVAUDAN FRANCE I GREEN BIOLOGICS I GSK I IMCHECK THERAPEUTICS I INNATE PHARMA I INRAE I INSERM I INSTITUT PASTEUR I INVIDATA I JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICAL I LALLEMAND SAS I LIMAGRAIN I MASTERCELL I MED IMMUNE LLC I MERCK SERONO I MERIEUX I MI-GSO I MILLIPORE I MSD SANTE ANIMAL I MYLAN I NESTLE I NEXT PHARMA I NOVARTIS I NOV IMMUNE I NOVO NORDISK I OZ BIOSCIENCES I PALL LIFESCIENCES I PFIZER I PHOTANOL I PIERRE FABRE I PROTEUS SA I PURATOS I QIAGEN I ROCHE I SANOFI PASTEUR I SARTORIUS I SEGULA ENGINEERING ET CONSULTING I SERVIER I SOLIANCE I STAGO I STRYKER I TEXCELL I TRIDENTT I UCB PHARMA I UGITECH I VECT-HORUS I VEOLIA EAU I VERACYTE I VIRBAC
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Project-based teaching
Biotechnology Forum
The aim of the Biotechnology Forum is to put students in touch with the professional circles for which they are destined, through a variety of activities over two days. Supported by the school, it's a highlight of Polytech's Biological Engineering program. It helps to clarify students' career plans and raises the profile of the school. The student-engineers organizing the event via the Proving Forum association are in their fourth year of the engineering cycle.
Applied bibliography project
The aim of this small-group project in semester 8 is to carry out bibliographical research on biotechnology processes, methods or products, with an eye to their impact on the market. Students learn how to research, evaluate and present information. The project is carried out in English, and requires a written report, oral defense and poster presentation. Groups are accompanied by a university tutor.
Industrial application work
This is a group project lasting several months in semester 9, designed to expose students to the questions, issues and problems of a bioprocess engineer in the biopharmaceutical or general biotechnology industry. Completing the project and its report requires a holistic approach on the part of the students, who have to synthesize different topics within a single project, applying their knowledge acquired in the various courses. They will be supported by an experienced tutor in the subject area.
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Courses
Students in our program take part in three compulsory internships, during which the skills acquired are assessed by the internship supervisor and the school's teaching staff.
- 3rd year: company discovery internship, 4 to 8 weeks, starting mid-June
- 4th year: internship in a company or laboratory, minimum 8 weeks, starting mid-May
- 5th year: industrial internship, 6 months minimum, starting mid-February
The majority of our students carry out their 4A internships in public research laboratories in France and abroad, and their 5A internships in SMEs, VSEs, start-ups and large corporations.
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Professionalization contract
Our engineering students have the opportunity to complete their final year of the engineering cycle (5th year) under a work-study contract. The contract can run from July-August to the end of September of the following year, for a maximum duration of 13 months, with the following work-study schedule:
- September to January: Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday at school, Thursday-Friday at the company
- January to April: Monday-Tuesday at school, Wednesday-Thursday-Friday at the company
- From April: full-time at the company
Since the class of 2022, international mobility has been a requirement for the Polytech Marseille engineering diploma. It must be 12 weeks "cumulative post-baccalaureate", with a minimum of 4 consecutive weeks. The mobility options provided for in Polytech Marseille's study regulations are as follows:
- Study semester abroad
- Internships
- Employment
- Woofing
- Foreign students who have completed part of their studies in their home country.
- Gap year
Study semesters abroad
In the "Biological Engineering and Biotechnology" department, it is mainly possible to spend a semester abroad in 4th year (Semester 7), thanks to all the bilateral agreements (ERASMUS, Hors Europe, CIVIS, BRAFITEC...) linking the University, the School and our program with other foreign universities (Japan, Canada, Taiwan, South Korea, USA, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Spain...). Some of the host universities for the department's exchanges include:
- Université de Montreal (UdeM) (Canada)
- Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) (Canada)
- University of Sherbrooke (Canada)
- Université Laval (Canada)
- University of Indianapolis( IUPUI) (USA)
- Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) (Brazil)
- Linkoeping University (Sweden)
- Stockholm University (Sweden)
- University of Helsinki (Finland)
- University of Bologna (Italy)
- University of Rome 'La Sapienza' (Italy)
- University of Padova (Italy)
- University of Madrid (Spain)
- Polytechnic University of Barcelona (Spain)
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium)
Internships abroad
All 3A, 4A and 5A internships can also be carried out in foreign companies or research laboratories (in particular: Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Great Britain, Monaco, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Tunisia, Morocco, USA, Canada, Chile, Brazil, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand).
