N/A

In this module you will be introduced to various methods and approaches to cell culture, preservation and manipulation including for example microbial, plant, human/animal primary and/or immortalised cell lines. Various aspects of cell handling will be explored including media design, isolation and purification, sterility, inoculum development, and cell counting. You will also examine various approaches to cell manipulation and strain improvement for bioprocessing e.g. genetic modification, stress fermentation through case studies.
The units of operation of a bioprocess and factors influencing optimisation will be appraised including bioreactor design, mode of operation, scale-up, and product separation and analysis.
Both theoretical and applied aspects of fermentation growth kinetics will also be considered.
You will also explore important commercial aspects of cell technologies including regulatory requirements and quality assurance processes: COSSH, GMP, GLP, biosafety and containment, as well as product approval, validation and auditing.
Laboratory experiments and/or demonstrations will relate to theoretical aspects of cell technology and bioprocessing and will cover cell culture methods, media preparation, fermentation set-up, operation and monitoring, product separation and analysis, experimental design and data-handling.

LO1: Appraise methods for culture, preservation, and manipulation of microorganisms and mammalian cell lines that are utilised in cell technologies.

LO2: Critically appraise the factors impacting on the optimisation of bioprocesses, including the cell type, fermentation conditions, and product separation procedures.

LO3: Critically reflect on the regulatory and quality assurance frameworks of relevance to bioprocessing and other cell technologies.

LO4: Evaluate the design and operational parameters of a bioprocess that influence the synthesis and nature of the biological entities involved.

LO5: Determine the efficiency of product formation and output in a bioprocess using appropriate handling and interpretation of growth kinetics data.