Taking Creative and Assertive Actions to Draw Students into the BiotechBiomanufacturing Education Pi

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Taking Creative and Assertive Actions to Draw
Students into theBiotech/Biomanufacturing
Education Pipeline A Bottom-to-Top Educational
Approach

• Linda R. Rehfuss
• BIOMAN 2008

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What is Needed to Begin a Program?

• Strong administrative support- at the Presidents
  level
• Facilities immediately available
• Industry support
• Job Market needs
• Pipeline from the high school
• Opportunity to advance to 4-year institution

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Program needs continued

• Program funding- what is initial start-up
  provided
• Baseline 50,000
• Optimal 150,000
• Grant opportunities
• NBC2
• ATE in general
• State funds

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MCCC Biotech/Biomanufacturing

• Programs offered since Fall 2002
• 3 Biotechnology programs
• A.S., designed for transfer
• A.A.S., career track
• A.A.S. in Biotechnology, Nanobiotechnology option
  (4th semester capstone at Penn State)
• 5 Biotechnology-specific courses developed
• Biomanufacturing weaved through the curriculum-
  QC, QA, GMP, facilities needs
• Current focus expand to non-credit incumbent
  worker training

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MCCC Biotech Students
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Program Considerations Didactic

• DOCUMENTATION!!!
• Unmet medical needs
• Drug discovery process
• Ethical implications
• Recombinant DNA technology
• Assay development
• Biologic vs. pharmaceutical

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Program Considerations Didactic contd

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices)
• Upstream and Downstream Processing
• FDA reporting/regulatory agencies

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Program Considerations Lab

• Basic Instrumentation (spectrophotometers,
  micropipettors, pH meters)- biotech and chem
  classes
• Instrument calibration
• Recombinant DNA instrumentation
• MICROBIOLOGY (ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE)

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Program Considerations Lab contd

• Advanced Instrumentation
• Plate reader
• HPLC
• High speed centrifuges
• Bio safety cabinets
• IR spectrophotometer
• Bioreactor

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Program Specific Courses

• 5 Biotech-specific courses
• Introduction to Biotechnology - recombinant DNA,
  drug discovery process, patents
• Basic Techniques for Biotechnology - pH,
  micropipettors, UV spec
• Biotechnology Research - recombinant DNA
  techniques, PCR, genetics
• Biotechnology Manufacturing - GMP regulations, QA
  and QC,
• Biotechnology Internship - field experience

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222 Partners

• Technical High Schools
• North Montco Technical Career Center
• Central Montco Technical High School
• Community Colleges
• Montgomery County Community College
• Bucks County Community College
• Community College of Philadelphia
• 4 Year Colleges and Universities
• Thomas Jefferson University
• Cabrini College
• Penn State Abington
• West Chester University

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222 Articulated Credits

• From Technical High Schools to MCCC
• 6 credits of advanced standing (BIT 120 and BIT
  123)
• Up to 9 additional credits (at MCCC while in high
  school)
• 9 credits include choices from English, Math,
  Computer Science and Chemistry

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222 Articulated Credits, contd

• Jefferson
• 22 -- 55 credits
• 31 -- 70 credits, B.S. degree in 1 year
• 32 82 credits, B.S. M.S. in 2 years
• Cabrini College, West Chester and Penn
  State-Abington between 66 and 70 credits, Junior
  Status

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Considerations

• Hire faculty member prior to program launch
• Dedicated lab space 800 sq ft. min
• Company involvement early
• Scientist level for curriculum input VP level
  for internships, hiring, partnership
• Specific needs of a company keep broad enough
  for sustainability

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Activities

• Students from Vo-tech schools
• summer camps
• Teacher training programs
• Workforce Investment Board (WIB)

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High School Recruitment

• Visit early and often- connect with specific
  counselor
• Marketing important
• Parents approval key- especially to start
  training at vo-tech level
• Preparedness needed in early grades

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Teacher preparedness

• K-12 teachers uncomfortable with science
  preparedness
• Need lab experiments and skills
• Approach Through DCED funding, teacher training
  workshop (grades 3-7)
• Lab experiments they can teach this age group
• Microscopes/experiments they take with them
  (sustainability charge fee)
• Very successful- esp. w/new PSSA standards

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NSF teacher training grant

• 640,000, 2008-2011
• Grades 9-12 teachers (7-8 grade if possible)
• Workshops in Summer for biotech/bioman and
  engineering
• Follow up in classroom throughout academic year
• Take home kits for use in their classroom
• Sustainability charge fee

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NSF Rohm and Haas project

• 148,000 (with additional contribution from RH),
  2008-2010
• Testing products in biological systems
• Giving students in-house internship opportunity
• Expand to other companies in future
• Modeled after InnovaBio (SLCC)
• Sustainability fee-for-service

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Short course-incumbent worker training

• Aseptic awareness/processing most requested
  course
• GMP knowledge awareness close second
• Way to generate income for the College and your
  program
• Short course/certificate to retrain displaced
  workers

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Where Are MCCC Interns Grads?
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10 Critical Biomanufacturing Jobs

• Process Development Associate
• Validation Specialist
• Manufacturing Technician - Upstream
• Manufacturing Technician - Downstream
• Instrumentation/Calibration Technician
• Chemistry QC Technician
• Microbiology QC Technician
• Environmental Health Safety Technician
• QA Documentation Coordinator
• Facilities Technician

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MCCC Contact Information
Linda Rehfuss lrehfuss_at_mc3.edu 215-641-6643 Kevin
Lampe klampe_at_mc3.edu 215-641-6499 Sheila
Byrne sbyrne_at_mc3.edu 215-641-6617