Microbial Fermentation (Hands-on Course)

Learn the safe set-up and operation of microbial bioreactors and the underlying techniques of aseptic lab work.

This course is designed to provide delegates with a practical understanding and operation of lab-scale microbial bioreactors.

The course will provide delegates opportunities to sub-culture industrially relevant strains of microbes such as E. coli and P. pastoris at different scales spanning shake flasks, a single-use Ambr® 250 high-throughput platform and a reusable 5L UniVessel.

Delegates will become familiar with standard operating procedures (SOPs) for typical microbial bioprocesses before being given the opportunity to work together to set-up and run a fermenter. Delegates will also be provided with hands-on training in aseptic technique, flask seeding and maintenance, and bioreactor sampling.

In addition, delegates will learn industrially relevant analytical techniques such OD, WCW/DCW and metabolic profiling and have opportunities to analyse and present their findings. Finally, a key learning outcome will include a session on identifying, diagnosing and resolving common errors which may occur during routine bioprocessing campaigns.

This MBI is recommended for:

The hands-on Microbial Fermentation course is designed for all those involved in microbial upstream processing including:

  • Early career academic researchers looking to transition into research or industry
  • Bioprocess and manufacturing engineers
  • Technical experts from external fields looking to transition into the biotech industry

Dr Ivano L. Colao is an Upstream Bioprocess Training Specialist who has worked on numerous industrially collaborative projects which span most cell types relevant to biopharmaceutical manufacture including, but not limited to, E. coli, P. pastoris, CHO, HEK, Jurkat, T-/CAR T- Cell, Neural Stem Cell, and primary umbilical cord-derived MSC. His research interests lie within the Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing space, Ivano has undertaken industrial training and technology transfers in upstream processing across a wide range of bioreactor formats and scales in laboratories ranging from academic research labs, GMP manufacturing laboratories and regulated tissue banking facilities. One of his main motivations is to deliver training to academics which better reflect industrial excellence.


Day 1

  • Introduction to UCL and the MBI Training Programme
  • Fundamentals of bioreactor design
  • Bioreactor monitoring and design features
  • SOP familiarisation (reusable fermenters)
  • Bioreactor set-up and sterilisation

Day 2

  • Run start and fermenter inoculation
  • Batch fermentation kinetics & off-line analysis
  • Sample acquisition & preparation
  • Harvest, CIP/SIP and shutdown

Day 3

  • Sample Analysis and growth kinetics evaluation
  • Introduction to SU tech
  • Creation of protocols for Ambr® 250mL Modular bioreactors

Day 4

  • Ambr® 250 Harvest
  • Analysis and Presentation of Batch versus Fed-Batch Processes
  • Culture of alternative expression systems
  • Process troubleshooting

Key Information

Dates: TBC for 2025
Module Leader: Dr Ivano L. Colao
Location: UCL East - Marshgate
Price: £1950

Contact

E: mbi-training@ucl.ac.uk
T: +44 (0) 20 7679 9613