This module provides practical activities, which enable students to acquire hands-on skills and develop engineering practice. The practicals also provide the opportunity for students to enhance their understanding of the fundamental biochemical engineering principles in upstream and downstream bioprocesses. Students undertake a series of short laboratory practical sessions throughout the year and explore problem solving through scenario-based or team-based projects (for example: a scenario on the application of UCL’s ultra scale-down tools for speeding the therapy supply and the pilot plant week). Briefing and preparation lectures will be provide prior to the activities and will aim to give the students an overview of the activity for their cohort and encourage them to engage with the pre-laboratory materials. This module is the undergraduate version of the post-graduate taught module: Biochemical Engineering Laboratory (BENG0096).

At the end of the course it is expected that students will:

be proficient in a variety of bioprocessing methods and advanced techniques used in the field
	be confident in setting up a laboratory scale bioreactor, preparing media, preparing the reactor for sterilisation procedure and be able to define its control settings
	be familiar with the set up and operation of a pilot scale bioreactor
	be familiar with set up and operation of large scale downstream operations (for example centrifuge, membrane filtration, and chromatography)
	be able to define appropriate scale-down experimentation for bioprocess development
	be able to follow standard operating procedures (SOP), evaluate an existing SOP, and if appropriate, update and implement it.
	practice basic sampling and analytical techniques (absorbance and fluorescence methods, protein concentration measurements, etc)
	practice how to handle biological material according to safety guidelines
	apply theoretical knowledge for the analysis of experimental data and data correlation
	familiarise with the research themes of the department and engage in depth in one specific topic
appreciate and respect the safety issues in the laboratory, specially around each operation and compile a Risk Assessment Form independently