Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other.

Degree Overview

Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other (CIP 26.9999) is an interdisciplinary scientific frontier for researchers who work at the "seams" of traditional disciplines. While a standard biologist might stay within one kingdom of life, professionals in this "Other" category are "Convergence Scientists." They study bio-digital integration, planetary health, extreme-environment survival, and the engineering of hybrid biological systems. It is a path for "unconventional innovators" who want to apply life sciences to emerging industries like sustainable fashion, space colonization, or bio-computing.

This field is ideal for "intellectual boundary-crossers"—individuals who want to combine biology with architecture, ethics, robotics, or materials science to solve "wicked" problems that a single department cannot handle.

What Is an "Other" Biological Sciences Degree?

A degree in this category is a highly customizable STEM path that emphasizes systems thinking, translational research, and emerging technologies. You will study the "Biological Core"—genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry—but your focus will be on novel intersections. Because this code houses experimental programs, your studies might focus on Bio-Fabrication (growing clothes or houses), Systems Medicine, or Marine Biotechnology (mining the deep sea for new enzymes). It prepares you to be a "Scientific Polymath" capable of leading teams across diverse technical fields.

Schools offer this degree to:

• Train "Interdisciplinary Project Leads" who can speak the languages of both molecular biology and computer engineering
• Develop experts in Regenerative Design, focusing on how biological principles can be used to create self-healing infrastructure or urban ecosystems
• Prepare "Ethical Innovators" who evaluate the social and environmental impact of "editing" ecosystems or human DNA
• Study Extreme Biology, exploring how life adapts to high radiation, zero gravity, or deep-sea pressure to develop new human technologies

What Will You Learn?

Students learn that "biology is the ultimate technology"; they focus on the structural logic and adaptive patterns of living systems to find non-traditional solutions to human problems.

Core Skills You’ll Build

Most students learn to:

• Master Translational Methodology—the ability to take a discovery from a nature documentary and turn it into a patentable industrial process
• Use "Bio-Digital Modeling"—using computers to design new proteins or metabolic pathways before "printing" them in a lab
• Design Bio-Hybrid Systems—integrating living sensors or cells into mechanical devices
• Perform Cross-Scale Analysis—understanding how a molecular change (micro) affects a global ecosystem (macro)
• Utilize Advanced Bio-Imaging—visualizing biological processes in real-time using laser and acoustic technology
• Understand Intellectual Property in Life Sciences—navigating the laws of "owning" or licensing biological discoveries

Topics You May Explore

Coursework is a diverse blend of fundamental science and futuristic application:

• Bio-Materials Science: Learning how to use fungi, algae, or bacteria to create sustainable alternatives to plastics and concrete.
• Systems Biology and Chaos Theory: The study of how unpredictable biological networks maintain stability and "evolvability."
• Synthetic Genomics: Designing and building entirely new genomes for custom-made microbes.
• Global Health Security: Exploring the intersection of biology, policy, and technology to prevent global ecological or medical collapses.
• Bio-Mimetic Architecture: Using the structural logic of bone or bird nests to design more efficient buildings.
• Astrobiology and Planetary Protection: The science of ensuring Earth life doesn't contaminate other planets (and vice versa).

What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?

Graduates find roles as lead scientists, innovation directors, and strategic consultants in biotech, environmental, and "frontier-tech" sectors.

Common job roles include:

• Bio-Innovation Strategist: Helping companies identify biological solutions for manufacturing, waste, or energy problems.
• Regenerative Medicine Liaison: Working at the intersection of hospitals and biotech firms to implement lab-grown tissue therapies.
• Sustainability Scientist: Developing "closed-loop" systems for cities or industries based on biological principles.
• Bio-Forensic Analyst: Using DNA and chemical "signatures" to track the illegal trade of wildlife or environmental pollutants.
• Space Life Scientist: Developing life-support systems and radiation shielding for astronauts and future colonies.
• Ethical Technology Advisor: Helping governments and firms set boundaries for the use of synthetic biology and gene drives.

Where Can You Work?

These specialists are the "bridge-builders" of the scientific world:

• Advanced Research Labs (DARPA, CERN, NASA): Working on high-risk, high-reward biological "moonshots."
• Sustainable Startup Incubators: Developing the next generation of bio-based consumer products.
• International Environmental Agencies: Leading large-scale restoration projects using "engineered" ecosystems.
• Agricultural Innovation Centers: Developing "smart" farms that use biological sensors to monitor soil and plant health.
• Museums and Science Policy Think Tanks: Communicating the future of biology to the public and lawmakers.

How Much Can You Earn?

Because of the specialized, interdisciplinary nature of this degree, salaries vary depending on the chosen niche but are generally high for lead roles.

• Bio-Innovation/R&D Directors: Median annual salary of approximately $110,000–$160,000+.
• Environmental/Systems Scientists: Salaries typically range from $85,000 to $130,000.
• Space/Frontier Research Scientists: Median annual salary of around $95,000–$145,000.
• Entry-Level Science Consultants: Often start between $65,000 and $80,000.

Is This Degree Hard?

The difficulty is in the mental agility and "translator" mindset required. You must be able to understand the "math" of an engineer, the "ethics" of a lawyer, and the "mechanics" of a cell simultaneously. It requires a brilliantly creative, adaptive, and highly disciplined mindset—you must be comfortable being an "expert in everything" and working in fields where the rules haven't been written yet. It is a major that rewards those who are "Visionary Synthesizers" and who find purpose in building a future where technology and nature are one.

Who Should Consider This Degree?

This degree may be a good fit if you:

• Love biology but don't want to be "boxed in" to just one field like botany or medicine
• Are fascinated by how nature's designs can be used to solve human engineering problems
• Want a career that allows you to work at the absolute edge of human knowledge (like space or AI)
• Enjoy the challenge of leading diverse teams of experts to solve a single big problem
• Believe that the most important discoveries happen at the "cracks" between different sciences

How to Prepare in High School

• Take AP Biology and AP Chemistry; they are the foundation for all biological "Other" paths
• Take AP Physics and Computer Science; you need the engineering and coding tools to apply biological logic
• Practice Systems Thinking—learn about how changing one thing in a system (like a forest or a city) affects everything else
• Join an "iGEM" (International Genetically Engineered Machine) team or a similar high-level science competition
• Read about "Bio-Design" and "The Fourth Industrial Revolution" to see how life sciences are merging with the digital and physical worlds

The ability to apply biological logic and interdisciplinary mastery to the complexities of a changing world is the hallmark of a successful professional in this field.