This course will focus on the exploration and understanding of biotechnology as applied to agriculture, natural products, biocontrols, and associated industrial biotechnology. Students will work in teams and each team will present their assigned topics as oral presentations and written assignments. A number of written individual assignments plus an exam will also be evaluated. In the agriculture area, lecture topics include modern approaches to plant breeding, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the controversy surrounding them; genomics and its importance in agribiotechnology; nutraceuticals; the use of natural and engineered products for pest and herbicide control; and the use of plants as bioreactors. In the natural products/­​biocontrols/­​industrial biotechnology areas, topics include the use of natural plant products for medicinal purposes; bioremediation of contaminated soils and the applications of biocatalysts as part of the green chemistry movement.