Undergraduate - UnitCHE3171 - Bioprocess technology

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering
Organisational Unit	Department of Chemical Engineering
Offered	Clayton Second semester 2013 (Day) Sunway Second semester 2013 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Lizhong He (Clayton); Assoc Professor Chan Eng Seng (Sunway)

Synopsis

This unit explores how scalable, commercially viable process-unit operations are harnessed by the biotechnology industry for the production of valuable biomolecules (eg recombinant proteins, peptides, vaccines, enzymes, and nucleic acids). The design, operation and economic issues surrounding large-scale biomolecular process equipment including bioreactors, filtration systems, chromatographic columns, sterilisation and aseptic operation, auxiliary equipment and the associated control systems will be considered. The wider biotechnology environment will be considered especially with regards to GxP, national and international regulatory bodies, biosafety and commercialisation.

Outcomes

At the completion of the unit students will: have an understanding of biological systems and molecules and how these are harnessed in biotechnology; have an understanding of how scalable, commercially viable process-unit operations are employed in bioprocessing for the production of biotechnology products; understand the design, operation and economic issues surrounding large-scale biomolecular process equipment including fermenters/bioreactors, filtration systems, chromatography, aseptic operation, auxiliary equipment and the control systems; be able to read, understand, critically evaluate and develop process flow diagrams; have an understanding of the wider influences on the biotechnology industry: regulatory compliance, ethics and societal expectations; have had direct exposure to the industry through talks from industry representatives and site visits.

Assessment

Assignments: 50%
Examination (3 hours): 50%
Students are required to achieve at least 45% in the total continuous assessment component (assignments, tests, mid-semester exams, laboratory reports) and at least 45% in the final examination component and an overall mark of 50% to achieve a pass grade in the unit. Students failing to achieve this requirement will be given a maximum of 45% in the unit.

Chief examiner(s)

Assoc Professor Karen Hapgood

Contact hours

2 hours lectures, 3 hours tutorials/practice sessions and 7 hours of private study per week

Prerequisites

CHE2165 (or BCH2011 or BMS1011 or BIO1011 or PSC2011) and CHM1011 or CHM1051 (or CHM1022 or CHM1052 or CHM2735 or PSC1021 or PSC1022)