Learning Outcomes:
On completion of this module students should be able:
1. To describe the importance of bioprocess engineering in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical production, food processing and environmental processes.
2. To describe the importance of sterilisation, GMP and regulatory bodies in the production of products for human use.
3. To describe the types of microorganisms used in industrial bioprocesses and discuss their growth requirements.
4. To demonstrate an understanding of the techniques for measurement and monitoring of parameters relevant to the quantitative analysis of bio reaction processes.
5. To demonstrate an understanding of the role of bioprocess engineering in sustainability and bio circular economy.
6. To apply stoichiometric principles for macroscopic analysis of cell growth and production.
7. To write appropriate equations for conservation of mass for bioprocesses with and without reaction for both steady-state and unsteady state.
8. To demonstrate a quantitative understanding of basic principles of heat transfer in bioprocesses including heat sterilisation techniques.
9. To outline the steps involved in a typical industrial bioprocess and describe both upstream and downstream unit operations.
10. To describe the industrial production of penicillin and alcohol.
11. To demonstrate the ability to work together as a team and present results in the form of a poster and oral presentation.
Indicative Module Content:
• Cell Biology
– Structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
– Importance of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells in bioprocessing
– Cell division, binary fission, mitosis, cell cycle, apoptosis
• Microbiology
– Microorganisms: types, classification, industrial applications, GMP production
– Growth of microorganisms (bacteria, yeast and fungus) at lab scale and industrial scale in bioreactors
• Bioprocessing
– Bioprocessing (stages in process)
– Upstream and downstream production: unit operations
– Production of beer
– Production of antibiotics
– Production of foodstuffs
• Quantitative analysis of bioprocesses
– Introduction to quantitative analysis in bioreaction engineering
– Measurement of biomass & monitoring of bioprocess parameters
– introduction to bioreaction kinetics
– Stoichiometry of microbial growth
– Effect of environmental conditions and introduction to oxygen demand
– Analysis of a batch bioreactor
– Heat transfer in bioreactors
– Sterilisation
– Other topics