Visitors to the bioprocessing lab at 麻豆传媒映画 (麻豆传媒映画) see a space where students use the latest industry equipment, gaining experience with bioreactors and other tools they will encounter in their professional careers. This equipment is a new addition to the lab, donated to 麻豆传媒映画 by Sartorius, a global supplier of products and technologies for the biopharmaceutical industry and laboratories. It replaces equipment in use at 麻豆传媒映画 since 2007.
鈥淚n our industry, that鈥檚 old,鈥� says KiriLynn Svay, 麻豆传媒映画 director of bioprocessing engineering operations for the school鈥檚 Amgen Bioprocessing Center. 鈥淭he donated equipment is used, but it gives our students training that鈥檚 up-to-date for industry. Now we also have twice the equipment, which is very helpful."
"The more skills and experience students have with a variety of equipment, the more competitive they are in the job market.鈥�
The addition of 20 different pieces offers students in 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 growing Master of Engineering (Meng) in Biopharmaceutical Processing program, as well as Master of Business and Science (MBS) students with a bioprocessing concentration, increased access to essential equipment, including single-use bioreactors.
鈥淭he industry we鈥檙e in is rapidly moving toward single-use technologies,鈥� says Parviz Shamlou, director of the Amgen Bioprocessing Center and the George B. and Joy Rathman Professor at 麻豆传媒映画. 鈥淲e have about 70 students using this equipment on an almost daily basis in our laboratories now.鈥�
Shamlou explains that the donation from Sartorius is an outgrowth of a strong partnership between the company and 麻豆传媒映画. Since 2014, students have presented posters and Shamlou has been a keynote speaker at Sartorius conferences. Company executives have reciprocated with keynote addresses at Amgen Bioprocessing Center Advisory Board (ABCAB) meetings. Now also represented on this board, Sartorius has sponsored ABCAB annual meeting for the past three years and donated equipment previously.
The latest donation was announced at the 2017 ABCAB meeting and will be recognized at the 2018 gathering on November 9. In particular, Shamlou gives credit to Mario Becker, head of product management for cell culture technologies at Sartorius, for making it possible.
鈥淭he donation was a direct result of discussions at the meeting last November,鈥� says Shamlou. 鈥榃e talked about how companies can help 麻豆传媒映画 bioprocessing grow in terms of numbers, equipment, and programs.鈥�
Another contributor to the company鈥檚 relationship with 麻豆传媒映画 is Vincent Lam, MBS 鈥�10, an application specialist in fermentation technologies at Sartorius. Lam made the initial introductions that resulted in a continuing partnership. More recently, he helped another 麻豆传媒映画 graduate, Nancy Matti, MEng 鈥�18, gain an application specialist position at Sartorius.
鈥淭he program at 麻豆传媒映画 did a lot for me, especially KiriLynn, who was one of my mentors,鈥� explains Lam. 鈥淚 felt it was only fitting to find a way to help the school and better the program through my own work and connections. What I didn鈥檛 know was how far it would go.鈥�
As for the equipment donation, Lam says, 鈥淚t helps train future users by providing students with up-to-date technologies that prepare them to meet the growing demands of industry once they enter their careers. What better way is there to make sure students are well prepared?鈥�