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Date(s)
Jul 22 - 26, 2024
Registration Deadline
Location
On Campus
Course Length
5 Days
Course Fee
$5,450
CEUs
2.5 CEUs
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Explore the innovative biotechnology strategies that are improving processes in biological industries around the world. Over the course of five days, you’ll acquire the tools and frameworks you need to enhance your organization’s downstream process—and drive increased value. Through highly interactive lectures and activities, you’ll examine traditional unit operations, as well as new concepts and emerging technologies, which offer benefits to biochemical product recovery. 

THIS COURSE MAY BE TAKEN INDIVIDUALLY OR AS part of THE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN BIOTECHNOLOGY & LIFE SCIENCES.

Course Overview


Continuing discoveries in molecular biology, genetics, and process science provide the foundation for new and improved processes and products in today's biochemical process industry. The production of therapeutic proteins and other biologics, made possible by discoveries in biotechnology, generated sales exceeding $300 billion in 2016. 

Biotechnology is a cornerstone for improvement and expansion of the biochemical process industry for production of enzymes, diagnostics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and foods. Continued introduction of new technology necessitates innovation in process development scale-up and design as manufacturing lies on the critical path between science and the consumer. 

An integral and cost-intensive part of these processes is associated with downstream processing for product isolation and purification. This course aims to help participants design new, as well as to improve existing, biological manufacturing for downstream processes.

 

Certificate of Completion from MIT Professional Education

Downstream Cert Image
Learning Outcomes
  • Understanding the fundamentals of downstream processing for biochemical product recovery.
  • Assessing the impact of change on overall process performance.
  • Examining traditional unit operations, as well as new concepts and emerging technologies that are likely to benefit biochemical product recovery in the future.
  • Understanding analytical and process validation issues that are critical to successful manufacturing.
  • Strategies for biochemical process analysis and synthesis.
  • Design and operation of unit processes with centrifugation, chromatography, filtration, and membrane processes
  • Introduction to continuous processing, process economics, process synthesis and simulation, and regulatory issues and validation.

Program Outline

The topics to be covered include:

  • Introduction to biochemical manufacturing strategy
  • Cell separation and clarification
  • Quality assurance and control
  • Chromatography fundamentals (2 sessions)
  • Chromatography design and operation 
  • Filtration fundamentals
  • Process validation and Quality by Design
  • Bioprocess design and economic analysis
  • Aseptic design and viral clearance

The program is under the direction of Professor Charles L. Cooney. Lectures will be presented by:

  • Dr. Stuart E. Builder, Strategic Biodevelopment, Belmont, CA
  • Dr. Charles L. Cooney, Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, emeritus at MIT
  • Dr. Steven Cramer, William Weightman Walker Professor of Polymer Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
  • Ranga Godavarti, Sr. Director, Purification Process Development, Bioprocess R&D Pfizer, Andover, MA
  • Dr. Jean-Francois Hamel, Lecturer & Research Engineer, MIT
  • Dr. Robert Baffi, Executive Vice President of Technical Operations, Bio Marin Pharmaceutical Inc, Novato, CA
  • Dr. James Leung, Research Scientist, MIT Center for Biomedical Innovation
  • Dr. J. Christopher Love, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT
Who Should Attend

The course covers fundamental principles of downstream processing with practical examples and case studies to illustrate the problems and solutions faced by the practitioner. It is intended to provide both insight into and an overview of downstream processing for individuals actively engaged in process research and development, as well as those who manage and innovate in the biochemical process industry. Scientists and engineers engaged in fermentation and cell culture development attend the course to better understand the context of the whole process. Attendees include:

  • Engineers and scientists interested in design, economics, validation optimization and scale-up of biochemical product recovery;
  • Protein biochemists and chemists involved in design and optimization of biologics recovery processes;
  • Managers responsible for biochemical process development;
  • Entrepreneurs, attorneys, and business leaders seeking an overview and insight into biochemical manufacturing.

Testimonials

"Good grounding in downstream processing which I will be able to apply to [my] day-to-day job."
PRODUCT LEAD, GLAXOSMITHKLINE
"I really enjoyed the course and felt that it strengthened my understanding of downstream processes and the considerations you have to make when designing a process."
SHIFT MANAGER, RECOVERY MANUFACTURING AT GENENTECH
"Excellent, intellectually promising, and very informative."
DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER II, MILLIPORE CORPORATION
"Course provides a comprehensive review of the key aspects of downstream processing from both a technical and economical perspective. Instructors are industry and academic leaders in biotech and provide insight into new technologies for existing application and new applications for existing technology."
TECHNICAL SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, ELI LILLY AND COMPANY
"Great balance between basics, advanced topics and academic, real-world applications."
SENIOR SCIENTIST, AMGEN MANUFACTURING LTD
"The depth that the course went into in all aspects of downstream processing was quite sufficient. I was pleased to see not only the physical processes explained in great detail, but the economic modeling and the process design as well. Very enriching."
ANALYTICAL CHEMIST, SWEETWATER ENERGY
"Top class staff were able to provide experience based rules of thumb and examples to clarify topics. Topics were relevant and well presented. In addition, the team project while helping students understand the material also helped the social aspect of being in Boston for a week."
PRINCIPAL PLANNER, GENENTECH
"This was a very comprehensive course that gives and operational and business perspective one wouldn't get from operations."
BIOPROCESS SUPERVISOR, GENENTECH
"Having a good understanding of downstream processing will help me and my upstream organization to work more cohesively with downstream so that we can better develop processes with a holistic mindset."
SENIOR ENGINEER III, BIOGEN IDEC
"It is a great opportunity to learn new concepts and remember old ones with high level lectures and team interaction, summarizing it is a great experience."
DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIST, FBS-FUNDAÇÃO BÊNÇÃOS DO SENHOR
Brochure
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Downstream Processing - Brochure Image
Content

The type of content you will learn in this course, whether it's a foundational understanding of the subject, the hottest trends and developments in the field, or suggested practical applications for industry.

Fundamentals: Core concepts, understandings, and tools - 40%|Latest Developments: Recent advances and future trends - 20%|Industry Applications: Linking theory and real-world - 25%|Teamwork on a case study - 15%
40|20|25|15
Delivery Methods

How the course is taught, from traditional classroom lectures and riveting discussions to group projects to engaging and interactive simulations and exercises with your peers.

Lecture: Delivery of material in a lecture format - 75%|Discussion or Groupwork: Participatory learning - 25%
75|25
Levels

What level of expertise and familiarity the material in this course assumes you have. The greater the amount of introductory material taught in the course, the less you will need to be familiar with when you attend.

Introductory: Appropriate for a general audience - 50%|Specialized: Assumes experience in practice area or field - 25%|Advanced: In-depth explorations at the graduate level - 25%
50|25|25