A new course at the Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU) prepares UC Berkeley students for careers in biotech by giving them much-needed experience with bioprocessing equipment.
In the course, students spend time at the ABPDU to get hands-on experience in the lab with this equipment. Not only do they learn important skills such as how to set up and safely operate the equipment, they also perform experiments that expose them to all the main steps of bio-based processes, including fermentation, product purification, and more.
“This course gives students crucial firsthand experience with industry-relevant equipment,” said Jan-Philip Prahl, a senior process engineer at ABPDU and a guest instructor and on-site supervisor for the course. “This is all larger scale equipment that is almost impossible to find in an academic setting.”
