NOVEL APPROACHES FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY TRAINING AT

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Linda R. RehfussMay 6, 2007Boston, MA

Biotechnology Education

• Biotechnology 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

MCCC Biotech Students

Advanced Technology Center (ATC)

New Lab in ATC

MCCC Biotech Program

• 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

2+2+2 Partners

• Technical High Schools:– North Montco Technical Career Center– Center for Technical Studies of Mont. Cty.

• 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 College

Activities

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

Education Collaborators

• Kevin Lampe, Assistant Professor of Biotechnology, MCCC• Christopher Harendza, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, MCCC• Evon Martins, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry• Laura McAtee, Ph.D., Instructor of Chemistry, MCCC• Lori Dodson, Ph.D., Biotechnology Instructor, North Montco Technical

Career Center, Lansdale, PA• Rich Coletta, Biotechnology Instructor and Program Development, Center for

Technical Studies of Montgomery County, Plymouth Meeting, PA• Esther E. Biswas-Fiss, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Program Director in

Biotechnology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA• Sheryl L. Fuller-Espie, Ph.D., DIC, Associate Professor of Biology, Science

Department Chair, Cabrini College, Radnor, PA• Melanie Lenahan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Program Director in

Biotechnology, Raritan Valley Community College, Somerville, NJ• Randy Libros, Associate Professor of Physics, Community College of

Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA• Laura Anne Roselli, Instructor and Program Consultant for Biotechnology,

Burlington County College, Mt. Laurel, NJ

Industry Collaborators

• Thomas Hartnett, P.E., Sr. Director of Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sourcing Group of the Americas, Johnson and Johnson Family of Companies, Bridgewater, NJ

• Joseph P. Lingle, P.E., Director, Facilities Operations, GlaxoSmithKline, King of Prussia, PA

• Thomas B. Lavoie, Ph.D., Section Head, Protein Biochemistry, PBL Biomedical Laboratories, Piscataway, NJ

• Peter Lowry, Vice President, Operations, The Immune Response Corporation, King of Prussia, PA

• Thom Moll, Manager, Fluids Manufacturing Area, Merck and Co., Inc., West Point, PA

• Cynthia Sarnoski, Ph.D. Sr. Vice President, Global Quality Assurance, Wyeth, Collegeville PA

• Richard P. Schwartz Jr., Ph.D., President, CV Ventures, LLC, Blue Bell, PA• Dr. Carol Adukaitis, 2+2+2 WLG Program Manager, PA State System of

Higher Education, Harrisburg, PA• Life Science Career Alliance, Philadelphia, PA• Collegiate Consortium

Partnership with Rohm and Haas

• R & H Chemical company with Healthcare division

• Developed polymeric separation media

• Trying to extend platform technologies

• Want to use media for purification of high molecular weight drugs

• Partner with MCCC in the ATC for project

R & H –MCCC Partnership

• Benefit to Company:Polymers tested in biological systems (R & H

doesn’t have cell culture capabilities)Extend product capabilityMaterials produced and tested in R & H

facilitiesTrained students for internships and future

employees

R & H –MCCC Partnership

• Benefit to College:Well trained students – college paid

“internship”ATC useStudents versed in a variety of techniques

and equipmentStudents provided on-site training at R & H

as well in analytical techniquesGrowing the reach of NBC2

Merck-MCCC Partnership

• Vaccine division collaboration

• Aseptic awareness course

• 1 week for new hires; 1-2 day for incumbent workers

• Attributes sought: gowning, behavioral practices, skills used in aseptic manufacturing

• ATC collaboration as well

Merck-MCCC Partnership

• Students may participate – compliments their didactic and in class laboratory instruction

• Extends company-college-community reach

• Provided through non-credit opportunities at the College

• Pilot with Merck could be extended to other companies

Teacher Training Institute

• STEM disciplines at College: Biotechnology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, Math

• Grades 7-12 and Community College teachers and faculty

• Teachers participate in R&H and Merck projects – help them prepare their students

Funding for Projects offered at the College

• NSF (preliminary proposals and current grant)

• DOL

• Company (R &H, Merck)

• Private investors

• State funds

• ANYONE WITH OTHER FUNDING IDEAS?

Where Are MCCC Interns & Grads?

10 Critical Biomanufacturing Jobs for NBC2

• 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

MCCC Contact Information

Linda Rehfuss, Ph.D.Montgomery County Community College340 DeKalb PikeBlue Bell, PA 19422lrehfuss@mc3.edu215-641-6643http://faculty.mc3.edu/lrehfuss/lrehfuss.htmKevin Lampe, M.S.Assistant Professor of Biotechnology215-641-6499klampe@mc3.edu