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Learn industry-relevant cell culture skills, aseptic techniques needed for handling mammalian cells, and analytics for evaluating cell quality.
This hands-on course teaches laboratory scientists and engineers how to handle and maintain mammalian cells by applying appropriate aseptic techniques, as well as how to evaluate cell quality using a range of analytical assays.
It provides a practical understanding of how to recover, cultivate, and preserve mammalian cells by applying aseptic techniques at a conventional laboratory scale. Training is focused on the hands-on application of industry-relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs), which are enhanced by relevant virtual reality simulations. Tutorials for SOPs, data analysis, and troubleshooting, will be supported by a series of introductory and expert lectures that will enable you to:
- Apply basic aseptic techniques relevant to the culture and passaging of mammalian cells.
- Perform procedures for preserving mammalian cells and retrieving those from frozen (liquid nitrogen) storage for subsequent cultivation.
- Quantify cell numbers using a manual haemocytometer and an automated cell counter.
- Assess the viability of mammalian cells using conventional Trypan blue exclusion assay and fluorescent dyes for labelling live and dead cells.
- Identify the typical morphologies of mammalian cells and examine cell activity by immunocytochemistry and image analysis software.
- Recognise conventional cell culture equipment including Carbon Dioxide incubators and Class II Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs) and apply that equipment for the culture of mammalian cells.
- Apply tissue culture and analytical laboratory safety procedures and recognise the importance of those protocols to safeguard laboratory personnel.
- Apply biological waste management protocols appropriate for all aspects of mammalian cell culture and analysis.
Module Lead
Dr. Bernice Wright has 20 years of mammalian cell culture experience. Her interests are in the development of cell secretome manufacturing bioprocesses. She currently holds a Lecturer (Teaching) position related to the UCL Manufacture and Commercialisation of Stem Cell and Gene Therapies MSc programme and is a Co-investigator in the RESILIENCE UK Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence in the UCL Department of Biochemical Engineering. Her main focus involves investigating approaches to develop standardised bioprocess platforms for cell secretome extracellular vesicles applied as therapeutics and diagnostics.