UCL ADVANCED CENTRE FOR
Biochemical Engineering
In this issue
Launch of EPSRC Centre
Vision: The Year Ahead
Upcoming Responsive
Bioprocessing Facility Launch
ISSUE EIGHT | APRIL 2012
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Contents
Editorial
Editorial2
Foreword by Professor Nigel Titchener-Hooker
Departmental News
The end of 2011 was a very busy and hugely productive
time for the Department. This issue of BPM is partly
retrospective but also prospective. We celebrate
departmental success in the form of awards that recognise
the Department’s on-going commitment to the advancement
of our academic staff. The SWAN Athena Silver award
demonstrates our achievements and the longer term vision
for female academics. I was not surprised we skipped the Bronze medal; Gold
is now our target! Late in 2011 our MBI® programme was recognised by the
Innovation in Teaching award, sponsored by IChemE. MBI® started over two
decades ago and is now acclaimed world-wide for its unique form of training
and the benefits that it brings to the industry. To cap it all our undergraduates
achieved a Platinum award through the iGEM competition.
3
Vision7
New IDTC website
8
New publication list
8
Launch of ESPRC centre
9
Biochemical Engineering
Awards 2011
10
iGEM Platinum Award
11
Bio Feedback
12
MBI® Module
13
Responive Bioprocessing
Facility 14
So much for achievements; what of promise? We have hugely ambitious plans
for the future. A new EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Emergent
Macromolecular Therapies for one. Launched in late 2011 this will create a
unique, national network of companies and academics focussed on creating the
methods and tools needed to make the conversion of molecular discovery to
patient delivery more efficient and economic.
2012 promises to be every bit as hectic as the previous year but one thing is
certain – Biochemical Engineering at UCL will be shaping that future at an
increasingly global scale. It’s going to be a lot of fun!
Prof. Nigel Titchener-Hooker
Head of Department and Director of the Advanced Centre for Biochemical
Engineering
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Next Generation Advanced Therapies:
8th Annual bioProcessUK Conference
This was held by the HealthTech and Medicines Knowledge Transfer
Network at the Glasgow Science Centre in November 2011. We are delighted
to report that Prof Mike Hoare won the The Peter Dunnill Award and then
presented the annual lecture ‘Changing the routes to bioprocessing discovery’. Mike
addressed some very challenging questions such as:
• Are we now ready to bring to full practice new biochemical engineering
methods to help speed the route to discovery of the means for bioprocess
manufacture?
• Can we use these methods to help enhance our ability to meet the demands
and opportunities posed by the requirements for Quality by Design?
• How do we empower the relationships between academia and industry to help
bring new biochemical engineering methods to general practice?
• The discussion focused on the creation and use of the ultra scale-down
technologies now becoming available out of a range of industry-university
partnerships made possible through novel UK funding structures. Where
next for such structures and what do they need to deliver for the future of UK
bioprocessing?
James Lawrence Post fellowship
James Lawrence is this year’s recipient of the The Ashok Kumar Fellowship,
awarded by IChemE and NEPIC. Funding is granted each year for one
postgraduate researcher to spend 3 months working at the Parliamentary Office
for Science and (POST). The fellowship covers the full cost of the extending
researcher’s funding for that time, including their stipend. During their time
at POST, the researcher is expected produce a short briefing note or contribute
to a larger paper on a relevant piece of technology, which will give Members
of Parliments the background knowledge required for an upcoming legislative
debate.
“I think it is critical that organisations like POST should exist, given the
current rate of scientific and engineering progress and the lack of representation
of science within Parliament. I am thrilled to have been selected for the
fellowship and look forward to getting started. I’m also very interested in policymaking, so it’ll be a great experience for me.” James Lawrence
DEPARTMENTAL news
Departmental news
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DEPARTMENTAL news
Dr Martina Micheletti, UCL
Biochemical Engineering
and Dame Julia Higgins,
Athena SWAN Charter Patron
and Emeritus Professor in
the Department of Chemical
Engineering at Imperial College
Prof Nigel Titchener-Hooker and
Dr Martina Micheletti
Engineering Gender Equality
The Department has recently been awarded a prestigious
Athena SWAN Silver award for progressing gender equality.
Athena SWAN awards are given in recognition of a department’s
commitment to recruit, retain and advance the careers of female academics and
researchers in science, engineering and technology (SET) disciplines.
The Department of Biochemical Engineering has been particularly
commended for:
• its proactive and innovative approach to female student recruitment
• the highly positive and inclusive culture within the Department
• the level of awareness and dedication exhibited by all staff to addressing the
obstacles female academics in science and engineering face.
Dr Martina Micheletti, a lecturer in microscale bioprocessing and fluid flow,
is the SWAN Co-ordinator for the Department and leader of the enthusiastic
team who prepared material for the submission. She said of the experience: “We
feel our knowledge of the Department has significantly increased, and are eager to
drive forward the many creative initiatives stemming from the process. I see SWAN
as an opportunity for departments to promote the careers of talented women, through
inclusive working practices.”
Their work was judged to be of such a high standard that the department has
been encouraged to apply for a Gold award in the future.
Professor Nigel Titchener-Hooker, Head of the Department of Biochemical
Engineering said; “As a new Head of Department I have recognised that more can
always be done to encourage a family-friendly and accepting culture. New modes
of working have been adopted within our department and the benefits for all are
becoming very clear. There is more to do, but the most striking message is that our
female staff feel empowered and are supported to achieve their full potential.”
UCL President and Provost, Professor Malcolm Grant added “UCL now holds
5 Athena SWAN Silver awards and I am delighted that Biochemical Engineering
has become the latest Department to accomplish this honour. The award process is
extremely competitive so I congratulate them on their hard work in putting together
an excellent submission. There is no simple solution to improve the representation
of women in science, engineering and technology. The Department of Biochemical
Engineering has shown, however, that having the will to try a variety of initiatives
can make a real difference.”
Dr Martina Micheletti, UCL
Biochemical Engineering
and Dr Dan Bracewell, UCL
Biochemical Engineering
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Dr Martina Micheletti has won a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering
(RAEng) Exxon Mobil Award for Excellence in Teaching. This is the second
such award to an individual in the Department. The award recognises her unique
contributions to the engagement of undergraduates in learning engineering
practice and in her pioneering work in creating better mechanisms by which to
recognise individuals in what are often predominantly team-based activities. The
citation noted the ways she had transformed aspects of the student experience.
In particular the routes by which students are engaged in learning not only
about the processing of delicate materials but also exploring, in some detail, the
management of complex tasks, execution, analysis and critical feedback through
a highly praised Pilot-Plant week module based in the £35m ACBE facilities.
Dr. Micheletti’s award means the Department of Biochemical Engineering is
now recognised as a centre of excellence in engineering teaching in the UK and
the Republic of Ireland and will receive a package of benefits worth £50,000.
Dr Micheletti has received a cheque for £10,000 provided to her for professional
development and for the delivery of new teaching initiatives.
DEPARTMENTAL news
RAEng Award
In the picture: Martina receives the £10,000 cheque at the award ceremony from
Ms Anna Callagher (ExxonMobil).
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DEPARTMENTAL news
EPSRC IMRC and Technology Strategy Board
Annual Briefing
For the September 2011 Briefing event we took the opportunity to report on two
complementary aspects of UCL research into ultra scale-down technologies.
A strategic overview from Mike Hoare on the role and application of ultra
scale-down technologies in the bioprocess sectors was followed by discussion
of application in the biopharmaceutical sector with Qiang Li presenting on
microbial protein recovery and Gary Lye on mammalian cell bioprocessing.
These technologies are now excitingly finding application in next generation
healthcare areas such as the preparation of human cells for therapy and here
Kate Lawrence presented an overview of the outputs of a Technology Strategy
Board programme linking ReNeuron, Onyvax, LGC, Nottingham Trent
Bioinformatics, SciLAS and UCL.
These talks were complemented by presentations from Matt Osborne (Eli
Lilly) and Lee Allen (Lonza Biologics) on advances in biopharmaceutical
sector such as process intensification and QbD to help meet the challenges of
delivering future generation therapies. The focus of the day was strongly reflected
in the ensuing debate on how new technologies such as ultra scale-down can best
be used to help deliver our future needs and how collaborative programmes such
as the EPSRC IMRC and Industrial Doctoral Training Centre, the BBSRC/
EPSRC Bioprocessing Research Industry Club and Technology Strategy Board
initiatives are helping to meet these needs.
SciTech 2011
Prof Nigel Titchener-Hooker and Dr Karen Smith gave a Masterclass entitled
‘Academia-Industry Knowledge Transfer Initiatives in Bioprocessing’ at SciTech
2011. They discussed how a dynamic UK science and technology base can lead
the world in meeting the global and societal challenges that we face, giving
Biochemical Engineering examples of new technologies and industry-university
partnerships can nurture creativity and encourage world-beating research and
products with the potential to drive growth in the bioprocessing sector.
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Vision
It has been a busy time for VISION with two briefings having just taken place
and another two just a few weeks away as well as the core course on the horizon.
On September 15th 2011 we held a Technical briefing “Does QbD make
business sense, and what new approaches to technology can make it a viable
proposition?” Richard Francis, Francis Biopharma.
On the 19th January 2012 we held a Business Briefing “Does Open Innovation
Work for the Bioprocess Industries?” The speakers were Vicki Salmon, Partner IP
Asset LLP & Michael Murray, Managing Director, IP Asset Ventures.
www.vision-ucl.co.uk
The year ahead
• The next Technical briefing will be on the 15th May
“Managing Manufacturing Economics” Dr Gunter
Jagschies, Strategic Customer Relations Leader, GE
Healthcare Life Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
• Additionally there will be a three day core course held
Dr Gunter
on 23-25 May 2012 covering a range of sector-specific
Jagschies
talks from thought leaders, facilitated case studies
and interactive problem-solving exercises designed to enable senior
industrialists in the bio industries to enhance their capabilities.
For information about these events, see our new dedicated VISION
website: www.vision-ucl.co.uk. or contact Dr Karen Smith at Karen.
smith@ucl.ac.uk
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New IDTC website launched
www.uclbiopro.co.uk
The Industrial Doctoral Training Centre (IDTC) in Bioprocess Engineering
Leadership has recently launched its new website. See www.uclbiopro.co.uk
The site provides detailed insight into the mission of the IDTC which is to
develop the next generation of international bioindustry leaders. This is being
achieved through cutting-edge, industry-linked research combined with cohortbased, whole bioprocess training and related business modules. The IDTC is
embedded within the Department and is superbly equipped with pilot scale
bioprocess facilities and related analytical technologies.
With £6.5M support from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council (EPSRC), the IDTC provides opportunities for collaborative research
with companies via one-to-one Engineering Doctorate (EngD) programmes.
Each EngD programme is 4 years in duration with up to 75% of the time spent
with the collaborating company. Staff, students, industrial partners and current
projects all feature on the site.
For further information about the IDTC, or to express interest in collaborating
in an EngD project, contact the IDTC manager, Nicholas Cameron at
n.cameron@ucl.ac.uk
New Publications List
This document highlights some of our top research publications over the past six
years, from 2006-2011.
The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering’s (ACBE) research
underpins cutting-edge bioprocessing discoveries in several of the most
important areas of advanced medicines and industrial biotechnology. For
convenience the publications are grouped into nine broad sectors:
• Industrial Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology
• Fermentation/Cell Culture Bioprocessing
• Faster Creation of Bioconversion, Fermentation and Cell Culture Bioprocesses
• Primary Recovery Bioprocessing
• Purification and Formulation Bioprocessing
• Faster Creation of Primary Recovery, Purification and Formulation
Bioprocesses
• Regenerative Medicine Bioprocessing
• Translational Stem Cell Research
• Tools for Business Decision Making and Quality by Design Implementation
If you would like to receive a copy, please contact Dr Karen Smith at
Karen.smith@ucl.ac.uk
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Launch of the EPSRC
Centre for Emergent
Macromolecular
Therapies
The 17th of November 2011 saw the launch of this national centre whose
focus is “Creating Manufacturing Innovations so as to deliver affordable
next generation advanced therapies to the UK healthcare system.”
The day, held at the Wellcome Collection, started with a series of keynote
lectures covering the cost dimension, the role of innovation and the international
agenda in relation to commercialisation:
• “What’s economics got to do with it?” Steve Morris, Professor of Health
Economics, UCL and Jon Sussex, Office of Health Economics
• “The Biochemical Engineering response to new markets, new regulation and new
biology.” Barry Buckland, CEO BiologicB LLC
• “Need for Cost and Time Efficient Commercialization of Biotech Therapeutics
and Technology Drivers for Achieving It” Anurag Rathore, IIT, Delhi
The afternoon networking sessions involved discussions with principal
investigators around four feasibility themes : Biophysical ,easurement, New
technologies and manufacturing strategies, Modelling /optimisation methodologies
and Lifecycle cost analyses providing the opportunity for guests to input to the
Centre agenda and help shape its future. There was a wonderful evening dinner
where guests were able to hear an illuminating and entertaining talk from Joseph
Chamie, Consultant, Ex Head Population Division, United Nations.
Approximately 80 major stakeholders in public and private spheres of biotech
and health innovation attended.
If you are interested in becoming a Partner in the Centre, contact Prof Nigel
Titchener-Hooker at nigelth@ucl.ac.uk or Imran Sayeed at i.sayeed@ucl.ac.uk.
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Biochemical Engineering win
IChemE Training Award 2011
We are delighted to report that the Department has won a coveted prize at the prestigious
IChemE Awards for Innovation and Excellence 2011. The Education and Training Award
was presented to them for the development of the Modular training for the Bioprocess
Industries (MBI®) programme.
Initiated in 1994 by a pump-priming BBSRC grant, the programme offers a unique blend of
expert lectures supported by detailed case studies, all run in the state-of-the-art facilities of the
Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering. This combination of teaching in world class facilities
by internationally recognised experts enables delegates to turn life science discoveries into new
medicines, therapies or sustainable bioprocesses. To date over 1,200 modules have been delivered to
more than 750 delegates from over 250 companies world-wide.
“MBI® is a true flagship activity which involves the whole department and creates significant benefits for our full time students
at all levels, as well as providing crucial Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for the industrial delegates. This award is
testament to the total commitment made to the creation and constant development of the programme and to the clear impact that
it has made in the sector. Coupled with the IChemE prize for Innovation & Excellence in Bioprocessing awarded to the BiCE
programme in 2010, this underlines the importance UCL places in both understanding big industry questions, and addressing them
in a fundamental and strategic fashion.” said Professor Nigel Titchener-Hooker, Head of UCL Biochemical Engineering
The MBI® modules are delivered by departmental staff as part of their normal teaching activities, and by a range of
external experts who in particular provide industry case studies and perspectives. Undergraduates, MSc and PhD students
and the large cohort of EngDs from the department’s IDTC all benefit from key training elements of the programme
and very tangibly from the investments in infrastructure it has enabled. Most recently the MBI® programme has been
supplemented by VISION, a programme focussed on the needs of senior executives in the life-science business sector. This
is now providing a growing interface with MBI®, extending and joining up UCL Biochemical Engineering’s provision of
development and training for industry professionals at all levels.
IChemE CEO David Brown said “Once again, we’ve been able to recognise some of the world’s best innovations. An event like
this really does demonstrate the breadth of work taking place in the chemical and process engineering community.”
The ceremony was attended by more than 400 nominees, dignitaries and guests and was held at the International
Convention Centre, Birmingham, UK.
For more information about MBI® contact Dr Karen Smith at Karen.smith@ucl.ac.uk
Dr Karen Smith and Prof
Eli Keshavarz-Moore, UCL
Biochemical Engineering
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Platinum award for
UCL synthetic biology
competition student project
Thomas Deane, an A-level student and member of an interdisciplinary team from UCL, has been awarded
an Exscitec Platinum Award for his work in the annual International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM)
competition in Amsterdam. Although Deane won the award, the achievement would not have been possible
without the work of the rest of the UCL undergraduate iGEM team.
Supervised by Dr Darren Nesbeth (UCL Biochemical Engineering) the team of students – called ‘E. coili’ – set out to
reduce the cost of manufacturing DNA medicines and gain valuable experience of research, public engagement and ethics.
Super manufacturing with supercoils
The team worked throughout the summer on the project, which involved genetically re-programming E. coli cells to
‘supercoil’ their plasmid DNA to improve industrial scale plasmid DNA manufacturing. See how this works in the video.
Plasmid DNA is becoming increasingly important as a therapeutic in genetic vaccination and gene therapy. The
‘E. coili’ team worked to modify levels of DNA supercoiling enzymes in E. coli and also supercoiling target sequences in the
therapeutic plasmids. This technology could ultimately be deployed in commercial plasmid DNA manufacturing, in order to
boost productivity and quality while reducing production costs.
UCL Engineering sponsored the multidisciplinary student team:
• Biochemical Engineering students Kinza Islam, Meng Li, Judith Albert, and Almaz Azlan
• Computer Science student Philipp Boeing
• Science and Technology Studies students, Louis Stupple-Harris and Anna Williams
• Structural & Molecular Biology Research student, Kheng Tee
• Biosciences student, Ejaj Intisar
• UCL Medical School student Alfred Ho
•
and the University of Westminster Art/Science PhD student Howard Boland
PhD students Oriana Losito (Structural & Molecular Biology) and Yu-Chia Wei (Biochemical Engineering) also worked
as instructors. The team worked throughout the summer using the industrial biomanufacturing facilities at the Advanced
Centre for Biochemical Engineering (ACBE) before the iGEM Europe Jamboree event in Amsterdam in October. The team
also organised two very successful public debates of the issues surrounding synthetic biology, at UCL’s Haldane Room and
the Science Museum’s Dana Centre, a purpose-built venue for events exploring topical issues in science.
The UCL iGEM 2011 team
From left, standing: Yu-chia Wei,
Philipp Boeing, Anna Williams,
Alfred Ho, Louis Stupple-Harris,
Kinza Isalam and Oriana Losito.
From left
Sitting: Almaz Azlan, Prof. Eli
Keshavarz-Moore, Dr Darren N.
Nesbeth and Meng Li.
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Bio-feedback
Dr Darren Nesbeth coordinated UCL’s iGEM
efforts for the third year, supported by Professors Eli
Keshavarz-Moore (UCL Biochemical Engineering)
and John Ward (Structural & Molecular Biology).
He summed up:
“2011 has seen student-led synthetic biology at UCL take great strides. Students
from six UCL Departments, across four Faculties, along with A-level student Tom
Deane and University of Westminster student Howard Boland, came together to
work hard and learn new skills. Alumni from this year’s iGEM have founded the
UCL Synthetic Biology Society which is already playing an active role in shaping
and improving UCL’s iGEM activities going forward. It was also a great honour
to be appointed to the iGEM Judging Panel for the first time, which gave me the
opportunity to experience a different side of the competition. I anticipate great things
for iGEM at UCL in the coming years!”
Additional financial support for UCL’s iGEM 2011 team was provided by Eli
Lilly, Lonza Biologics and the Health Protection Agency, which are all partners
in the Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre programme within UCL
Biochemical Engineering, and also the Research Department of Structural &
Molecular Biology.
For information about iGEM 2012, contact Dr Darren Nesbeth at
d.nesbeth@ucl.ac.uk
Supervising this
year’s UCL iGEM
team has been a great
learning experience for
me. I also really appreciate
the opportunity iGEM has
afforded me to visit great
cities like Seville for iGEM
training, Amsterdam for
the Jamboree and not
forgetting Norwich for the
UK universities iGEM gettogether event!
iGEM was a great
opportunity for me to
see first hand the importance
of research in the field of
medicine. I also enjoyed
meeting fellow students from
all over the UK and Europe.
Alfred Ho, Team member, (UCL
Medical School)
The MBI® Training
Programme is run by
the Department and
comprises a series of UCL
accredited short courses
in bioprocessing, designed
specifically for industrialists.
They can be taken as standalone modules or can be
combined for certificate,
diploma or Masters
qualifications. To date 1,200
modules have been taught
to over 800 international
delegates, and more than 200
companies have participated.
For further information please
email Dr Karen Smith at
karen.smith@ucl.ac.uk or see
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/biochemeng/
industry/mbi/courses
Yu-chia Wei, Second year PhD
student with Dr Darren Nesbeth
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MBI® Module:
Bioprocess Design & Economic Evaluation
11 – 14 June 2012
Focusing on how to specify the process and how to determine its economic feasibility
The module focuses on how to specify a complex bioprocess and determine its economic feasibility. It will:
• Specify a major item of process equipment.
• Interpret engineering drawings used in equipment procurement.
• Perform economic analyses of the process and determine sensitivities to process changes.
• Achieve value for money in complex engineering projects.
• Recommend a process that is technically feasible and economically viable.
• Determine the types of data needed to specify unit operations and processes.
• Develop process flowsheets and mass balances.
Who should attend?
This course is designed for engineers, chemists, biologists, biochemists and biotechnologists who are interested in process
design for the manufacture of biological products. Each concept and topic covered will be explained for the beginner - an
example case study is followed through the bioprocess design procedure to allow an economic appraisal of the design to be
performed. This learning is carried forward to the following “Bioprocess Facility Design” course which examines the next
stage of a bioprocess design.
Typically delegates are: R&D scientists, engineers or managers who need to learn more about the typical steps which
constitute the preliminary design process in conjunction with the “Bioprocess Facility Design” course.
Programme
Monday 11 june
• Introduction to Module
• The Business Case for
Multi-Purpose Facilities
• Case Study: Development
of Preliminary Flowsheets
Tuesday 12 june
Wednesday 13 june
• Defining the End Product • Process Equipment
Specification
from Specification to
Installation
• Case Study: Revision of
Thursday 14 June
• Introduction to Cost
Estimation
• Invited Expert Speakers:
Andrew Brown, Biopharm
Services
Chris Davis, Mott
Macdonald
Andy Hooker,
Syntaxin Ltd
Angela
Osborne, eXmoor pharma
concepts
Vaughan Thomas,
Tillingbourne Consulting
• Case Study: Process
Costings and Process
Changes
Flowsheets to Achieve End • Case Study: User
• Design project
Product Specification
presentations to a panel of
Requirement Specification
senior industrialists
• Achieving Fast Mass
• Design of Process
Balances and Flowsheets
• Module Leaders: Daniel
Operation & Control
Bracewell and Tarit
• Case Study: Process Mass • Case Study: Piping &
Mukhopadhyay
Balance
Instruments Diagram
• Case Study: Process
Operation
• Case Study: Industrial
Cost Estimation Including
Analysis of Hidden Costs
• Case Studies: Process
Costing & Sensitivity
Analysis
A social networking event will be held for delegates and speakers.
The module costs £1300, with a £100 discount if you register and pay before 10 May.
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UCL Responsive
Bioprocessing
Facility (RBF) Opening
An invitation Toward SingleUse Whole Bioprocessing
18th September 2012 launch
Introducing STAMP – Single-use Technology for Advanced
Manufacturing Partnership
Earlier this year we informed you of the significant investment the Department
of Biochemical Engineering has made in single use technology in the creation of
the Responsive Bioprocessing Facility (RBF).
STAMP is a technology partnership between industry and academics at
University College London. It seeks to bring together companies already
working with single-use technology applications and those who seek to move into
single-use technology exploitation, either through manufacture or research. The
end users of this technology may be both in industry or academia and so it would
seek to act as a forum for the exchange of ideas, demonstration and training in
the application of single use technologies and developing fundamental process
understanding its capabilities and relevance.
STAMP is not partisan. It does not seek to champion one technology
manufacturer over the other, but hopes to identify the applications of new
single-use unit operations and single use whole bio process sequencers. Through
both research case studies and training exercises it will demonstrate innovative
applications of single use technologies to novel vaccines, regenerative medicines,
macromolecular products and the industrial biotechnology sector. Consequently,
it seeks to build a consortium of companies willing to participate in both
research and training opportunities and help build a wealth of knowledge
surrounding these novel processes.
3D mimic
of a rocked
bioreactor bag.
This enables
optical access
for fundamental
studies of culture
hydrodynamics.
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A new Facility dedicated to Single-Use Technology
At the heart of STAMP is the Responsive Bioprocessing Facility (RBF). It is
located within our pilot plant facility in the Advanced Centre for Biochemical
Engineering. The purpose of the RBF is to act as a centre for training and
demonstration of single use technology within a pilot plant setting. Various
biological material and processes can be tested and the facility is spacious enough
to host large training groups.
Benefactors of the RBF training are company delegates of our post-experience
development courses (MBI®), undergraduates, MSc and doctoral research
students. Part of the output is that the RBF and its resources should help
feed into the Industrial Doctoral Training Centre that operates Engineering
Doctorate (EngD) research projects in the area. These projects have an industrial
sponsor, thus part of the project would be to investigate the application of singleuse technology for various research applications. Such projects include;
1. engineering characterisation and scale-up of novel single-use bioreactors for
mammalian cell culture.
2. evaluation and scale-down of single-use bioprocess technologies
3. characterisation of shaken single-use bioreactors for algal cultivation
4.perfusion based single-use bioreactors for viral vaccine production
While gaining insights into single use technology for novel process applications,
the researcher would also seek to disseminate the knowledge with the publication
of original articles in leading academic journals.
Declare your interest
Over the next few months UCL Biochemical Engineering will be seeking to
recruit companies to the STAMP partnership and discussing what form of
collaboration STAMP should take. The contributions we seek from companies
are equipment and in kind contributions for demonstration, training and
research purposes.
What we offer contributing companies:
• Use of the ACBE pilot plant for company led seminars and equipment
demonstrations within our central London location
• Access to original UCL experimental data
• Speaker slots on our post-experience MBI® training courses
• Generation of practical training activities delivered to the Industrial Doctoral
Training Centre
Companies such as Sartorius, Infors HT, Applikon, Pall and others are already
involved. While membership is open all year round, we are seeking to recruit
for a launch event in mid 2012. By then we expect to unveil the new Responsive
Bioprocessing Facility.
For further information:
Dr Martina Micheletti, m.micheletti@ucl.ac.uk
Dr Tarit Mukhopadhay, t.mukhopadhay@ucl.ac.uk
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Contacts
Research Sponsors:
Dr Karen Smith
Director of Bioprocess
Leadership
+44 (0)20 7679 4411
karen.smith@ucl.ac.uk
MBI®:
Mrs Liz Cullen
MBI® Manager
+44 (0)20 7679 1316
mbi-training@ucl.ac.uk
EPSRC Centre for
Emergent Macromolecular
Therapies:
Professor Nigel
Titchener-Hooker
+44 (0)20 7679 3796
nigelth@ucl.ac.uk
BiCE and Industrial
Doctoral Training Centre
(IDTC) for Bioprocess
Engineering Leadership:
Professor Gary Lye
+44 (0)20 7679 7942
g.lye@ucl.ac.uk
RegenMed Bioprocessing
Professor Chris Mason
+44 (0)20 7679 0140
chris.mason@ucl.ac.uk
MBI® course dates
2012–13
14 – 16 May 2012 Biomanufacturing Innovation Tools: Speeding from Concept
to Commerce
11 – 14 June 2012 Bioprocess Design & Economic Evaluation
18 – 21 June 2012 Bioprocess Facility Design
1 – 3 Oct 2012 Principles of Fermentation Processes
15 – 17 Oct 2012 Rapid Fermentation Process Design: From Development
to Manufacture
29 – 31 Oct 2012 Industrial Biotechnology: Biocatalysis, Synthetic Biology
and Biorefining
12 – 15 Nov 2012 Downstream processing: Primary Recovery
26 – 29 Nov 2012Downstream processing: Chromatography
5 – 7 Dec 2012 Vaccines
28 – 30 Jan 2013 Mammalian Cell Processes
18 – 20 Feb 2013 Cell Therapy Bioprocessing
25 – 28 Feb 2013 Quality by Design for Effective Bioprocess Characterisation
and Validation
11 – 13 Mar 2013 Design of Experiments for Bioprocess Optimisation
13 – 15 May 2013 Biomanufacturing Innovation Tools: Speeding from Concept
to Commerce
3 – 6 June 2013 Bioprocess Design & Economic Evaluation
24 – 27 June 2013Bioprocess Facility Design
For more information, email mbi-training@ucl.ac.uk
Work with us
The UCL Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering actively encourages and
fosters long-term research partnerships between its academics and sponsors for
mutual benefit. We facilitate interaction in a range of ways, such as sponsor visits,
industrial advisory boards, Bioprocess Briefings, industrial placements for graduate
students and the MBI® Programme. Over 70 industrial and academic experts
contribute to our MBI® activities.
If you would like further information, please contact the appropriate member of
staff listed to the left.
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