May 12, 2025

This piece is sponsored by South Dakota Biotech.

Joel Tetty’s biotech education already has taken him from his home in Ghana to western South Dakota.

And soon, it will take him across the state to Brookings, where he will become the first student intern in a new collaborative program between biotech organizations on both sides of South Dakota.

Tetty came to the U.S. in 2023 to attend the University of Iowa before transferring to South Dakota Mines.

“I like the program here, and I’m used to smaller schools where you can have one-on-one relationships and a good rapport with the professors,” he said. “I love to build my relationships with professors, and the biomedical engineering program here is wonderful.”

Tetty’s unique background and interest in biomedical engineering made him an ideal candidate to become the first intern in a one-of-a-kind internship program, offering experiences at both the CNAM-Bio bioprocessing facility in Rapid City and Dakota BioWorx in Brookings.

Since early February, he has been working under the guidance of Dr. Ankan Sin, senior research scientist at the Composite and Polymer Engineering, or CAPE, Lab at South Dakota Mines.

“It’s been wonderful,” he said, calling Sin a mentor who “has been very helpful. I hope to continue giving my best when I move to Dakota BioWorx.”

Tetty’s internship will allow him to participate in hands-on projects that contribute to the development of sustainable technologies, such as the corn stover-derived polyhydroxyalkanoates, or PHA, production project. This project aims to create biodegradable plastics from agricultural waste, helping address environmental concerns while supporting the biotechnology sector.

“This opportunity will give me more insights into the development of new biomaterials that can be used,” Tetty said. “I am interested in creating specific types of polymers which can be absorbed by the human body, and I believe that this opportunity will give me more knowledge on how bacteria can be engineered to produce polymers which are biodegradable.”

Tetty’s experience is an example of the broader vision being formed between the two biotech organizations to provide a seamless transition from lab-scale research to industrial-scale biomanufacturing.

“This is the sort of innovative thinking and collaboration it takes not just to advance our industry in South Dakota but to attract exceptional talent,” said Joni Ekstrum, executive director of South Dakota Biotech. “Future biotech leaders are looking for these sorts of unique hands-on experiences, and our biotech organizations are taking a big step toward providing them.”

CNAM Bio in Rapid City is a biotech research and development organization focused on biomanufacturing, providing lab pace to pilot-level scale-up solutions. Dakota BioWorx is a state-of-the-art biotechnology facility in Brookings, providing contract development and pilot-scale manufacturing services for biotech startups. The facility is dedicated to bridging the gap between lab-scale research and large-scale commercial production, providing essential resources to accelerate the growth of the biotechnology sector.

“We have a long-term agreement with Dakota BioWorx and basically work hand-in-hand,” Sin said. “I visit BioWorx regularly for different projects, and we discuss new ideas. So since we are sister organizations, we set up for more training for workforce development. This is a flagship program for both our institutes, and I think it’s drawing good exposure for next semester too.”

The CNAM Bio and Dakota BioWorx internship program is designed to create a pipeline for students to gain real-world biotech experience. The program provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the growing biotech industry, helping to ensure South Dakota’s place as a leader in sustainable biotechnology innovation.

“This partnership with South Dakota Mines is critical for developing the next generation of biotech professionals, and Joel’s work will help advance key sustainable technologies such as the PHA project,” said Dr. Neal Connors, chief scientific officer at Dakota BioWorx. “By providing hands-on experience and bridging the gap between lab research and industrial biomanufacturing, we’re preparing students like Joel to lead in the growing biotech sector, both in South Dakota and beyond.”

Tetty is excited about the opportunity to apply what he learns in the classroom to real-world applications in biotechnology. He ultimately would like to return to Africa and build a biotech company on his home continent. 

“I have a lot of plans,” he said. “But first, my main goal is to build a biomedical engineering company in Africa to give back to my community.”