The Biomanufacturing Immersion Facility (BIF) at UTS reached another milestone recently with the completion of the first NIBRT (National Institute of Bioprocessing Research and Training) training course in Australia. The short courses are offered by BIF, in partnership with NIBRT and Cytiva (formerly GE Healthcare), to deliver bioprocessing training to realise the potential of the future biotech and biopharmaceutical workforce.
NIBRT Single-use Technologies in Upstream Bioprocessing Operations short course in action at the Biologics Innovation Facility. Credit: Biologics Innovation Facility
BIF Manager Dr Edwin Huang said a major bottleneck experienced by biopharmaceutical companies was the lack of trained personnel.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and challenged all aspects of daily life but one positive aspect is the push this has given to the biotech and biopharma industries to innovate during a global crisis.
“Training is critical for Australia to achieve recognition as a high quality and sustainable manufacturing nation. We are very proud to have been able to run the first course, so soon after the NSW coronavirus restrictions were eased,” he said.
The first group of trainees came from a wide range of biotech sectors, spending three days with the BIF team to learn about upstream bioprocessing with single-use technology. Trainees were guided by the BIF team to actively apply their knowledge in hands-on experiments by learning how to set up and operate a WAVE25 Bioreactor and 200L single-use bioreactor. Trainees were also familiarised with aseptic operations and connections, the use of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Batch Records during bioprocessing operations, which is common practice within biopharmaceutical manufacturing sectors.
Three of the trainees were supported by the Deep Green Biotech Hub’s (DGBH) “BIF Training Program” voucher scheme, assisting eligible businesses with access to the training courses. DGBH manager, Dr Alex Thomson said that the voucher program, which is supported through the NSW Treasury’s Boosting Business Innovation Program, supports NSW biotech startups and SME’s in undergoing training in the world-class facility. “By supporting innovative startups and SME’s, DGBH is further progressing the sector developing in NSW,” Dr Thomson said.
BIF offers short training courses that give students hands-on training experiences on bioprocessing techniques, with a focus on the rising trend of single-use bioprocessing technologies. Classes are based on training programs from Dublin-based National Institute of Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT). BIF is the only institute in Oceania and South East Asia delivering the NIBRT curriculum.
Dr Huang said that BIF’s bioprocessing training “has come at the right time.”
“The courses offer a unique opportunity for students, technicians, engineers, and scientists to up-skill and advance their knowledge in bioprocessing. We are on our way to filling the skills gap so that Australia’s capability to manufacture medical products will be able to grow and develop. Not just during this response to a global pandemic, but also to be prepared for the future,” Dr Huang said.
About BIF
BIF is situated in the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and is a state-of-the-art training and production facility which houses sophisticated bioprocessing technology to provide biologics manufacturing solutions and transform professional training in a simulated GMP environment.
NIBRT short courses currently being offered by BIF are:
- Introduction to Bioprocessing
- Single-use Technologies in Upstream Bioprocessing Operations
- Single-use Technologies in Downstream Bioprocessing Operation
For course dates and details, please visit UTS Open, or contact the Biomanufacturing Immersion Facility for more information.