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Industrial biotechnology education: A model of collaboration between industry and academia

2003; Wiley; Volume: 31; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/bmb.2003.494031020195

1539-3429

Maureen T. Harrigan,

Biomedical and Engineering Education

The growth and expansion within the Biotechnology industry in recent years has led to a growing demand for a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. Many companies are making the transition from Research and Development to Biomanufacturing, leading to a shift in the skills required within the workplace. Moorpark College [1] and local Biotechnology companies developed a strong collaboration that focused on providing a comprehensive education in Biotechnology at the community college level. The result was a Biotechnology Program that directly matches industrial needs with the education and training of students. The impetus for the design and development of the Moorpark College Industrial Biotechnology Program [2] came directly from industry. Individuals from Baxter Healthcare Corporation's [3] new production facility for Factor VIII approached Moorpark College with the idea for a Biotechnology training program. The idea met with great enthusiasm at the College, and a productive collaboration between academia and local industry was established. The first step in this undertaking was to assemble an Advisory Board that would be the decision-making body and guiding force of the program. Eight department heads from Baxter volunteered to sit on the Board and were joined by numerous scientists and managers from Amgen [4], administrators from Moorpark College, and faculty from Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology. Moorpark College presented the industry partners with a unique opportunity to design and write a Biotechnology curriculum that would directly reflect industrial processes. From the college catalog, courses were selected from mathematics, biology, chemistry, and computer science to establish the framework of a core curriculum. At the same time, there were lengthy discussions about the biotechnology component of this program. All members of the Board agreed they wanted to design a “world-class” program that would give students an opportunity to experience the biotechnology workplace within a college setting. They agreed students should learn the skills, techniques, and information that is usually acquired only through on-the-job training. All believed that such a student would make an invaluable employee and decrease the time required for training within industry. Both employers and students who have completed the program have confirmed that the program has been successful in dramatically decreasing the time required for on-the-job training of program graduates. The Biotechnology courses were designed so students are educated in all aspects of the industry with an emphasis on Biomanufacturing. Prerequisites for the Biotechnology courses are Statistics, Chemistry, and the General Biology course for majors. In addition, the Biomanufacturing modules require Microbiology. Students learn basic laboratory skills, equipment use, and an overview of biotechnology in a five-unit Introduction to Biotechnology course. Included in this course are such topics as Solution and Buffer Preparation, Safety, Documentation, Spectrophotometry, Centrifugation, Molecular Biology, Immunochemistry, Protein Purification and Analysis, and selected topics in Biotechnology. This course serves as a prerequisite for the Biomanufacturing modules and provides students with the background and skills for intensive training in the industrial operations of a biotechnology company. During the second semester of study, students take eight Biomanufacturing modules designed so the student experiences all of the operations within a biotechnology facility. Each module is 1.5 units and is taught over 2 weeks with 8 h of lecture and 12 h of laboratory each week. The modules are Plant Design, Process Support, Cell Culture and Microbial Fermentation, Recovery and Purification, Formulation/Fill and Packaging, Environmental Monitoring, Quality Control: Analytical Methods, and Validation. The specific content of each of these modules is given in Table I. Each of the topics and laboratory activities for these modules were selected and designed by subject matter experts from industry. The content of these courses is a true reflection of the activities and operations within an industrial facility. A Biotechnology course in Biomanufacturing is not easily taught in the typical college laboratory. For students to truly experience the workplace within a college setting, a unique training environment was required. With the assistance of the industrial partners, Moorpark College set up an 8,000 square feet Biomanufacturing training facility on the campus of California State University, Channel Islands [5], which at the time was still in the early planning stages. The facility was set up to mimic some of the industrial components of a Biotechnology plant, segregating various aspects of the process. The entrance to the facility is through a gowning room where students are required to don complete cleanroom attire. The training facility contains a dedicated cell culture laboratory where both small and large scale cell culture are performed. In addition there are areas for Recovery/Purification, a Quality Control laboratory, Buffer/Media Preparation, and Glassware Wash and Storage. The equipment in this facility includes basic laboratory equipment as well as process equipment for Biomanufacturing, including a disk stack centrifuge, 35-cm chromatography columns, and bioreactors. The industry involvement in both designing and equipping this facility was invaluable. The industry involvement in the implementation of this Biotechnology Program extends beyond curriculum development and extensive donations. The Biomanufacturing modules are all taught by industry volunteers. The vision for this program was for students to learn the concepts, skills, and hands-on techniques the same way it is done in the workplace. Therefore, students are taught by experts who have extensive industrial experience and working knowledge of the subject matter. Approximately 50 industry scientists from a dozen companies participate in the instruction of this program each semester. The training is current, effective, and relevant. A grant from the National Science Foundation has enabled us to address the dearth of instructional materials suitable for use in Biomanufacturing. An Industrial Biotechnology Training Manual was developed as part of an Advanced Technological Education grant and is a result of a combined effort from many different participants. The Moorpark College Industrial Biotechnology Advisory Board helped shape the content and format. The Operations Training Group at Amgen was a great resource in sharing instructional materials and in providing many of the chapters for the manual. Most of the topics in the manual are written by the industry instructors from the Moorpark College Industrial Biotechnology Program. The Moorpark College Biotechnology Program attracts students with backgrounds in Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, and Computer Science. Over half of the students have degrees, and some are employees within the Biotechnology industry. The format and delivery of the courses enable students with diverse backgrounds to acquire the requisite knowledge and training for a career within the field. The success and effectiveness of this Biotechnology curriculum is reflected in the 100% placement of students the program has experienced to date. Many students transfer to 4-year universities, while the goal of others is immediate employment. Students have obtained employment at a variety of companies in such areas as Validation, Cell Culture, Fermentation, Process Support, Purification, Process Development, Quality Control, and Quality Assurance. The demand from industry for program graduates far exceeds the output of the program. The goal of any collaborative effort is a “win-win” relationship with mutual benefits to each participant. The collaboration between Moorpark College and industry provides a model for academic institutions seeking such a relationship. There are tremendous benefits when academia involves industry at all levels of curriculum development, delivery, and support. Such a partnership brings together distinctly different resources that yield highly productive outcomes. Ultimately it is the students who benefit from such collaborative efforts.