Program Overview

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Biopharmaceutical Engineering

Overview

The Biopharmaceutical Engineering program at Queen's University Belfast is designed to provide students with knowledge and skills in the field of biopharmaceutical production, separation, and purification. The program is offered in collaboration with Eli Lilly, a global company with excellent standing in the field of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical production and commercialization.

Course Structure

The program is a Postgraduate Certificate, which requires students to complete 3 of the 6 available module choices, totaling 60 CATS points. The modules are:

• CHE7501: Medicinal Chemistry
• CHE7502: Biopharmaceuticals and Upstream Processing
• CHE7503: Chemical Engineering Principles
• CHE7504: Bioreactor Design and Bioprocess Control
• CHE7505: Separations, Downstream Processing and Bioanalytical Science
• CHE7506: Regulatory Affairs and Quality Systems

Module Details

CHE7501: Medicinal Chemistry

This module provides students with the knowledge of the inception of a biopharmaceutical product, its chemical composition, and how it will act in the body. The module is split into three lecture series: Biomacromolecules, Pharmacology, and Drug Discovery.

CHE7502: Biopharmaceuticals and Upstream Processing

This module focuses on what biopharmaceuticals are, why they are needed, and how they are produced. The module is delivered over two lecture series: Biopharmaceuticals and Upstream Processing.

CHE7503: Chemical Engineering Principles

This module concerns the core principles behind a chemical process in terms of heat and mass transfer and how these relate to the kinetics of a process.

CHE7504: Bioreactor Design and Bioprocess Control

This module focuses on reactor design and the principles behind controlling a bio-process in the chosen reactor. Reaction rate, mass balance, and kinetics will be covered and discussed in detail.

CHE7505: Separations, Downstream Processing and Bioanalytical Science

This module contains the methods and principles behind separations, the fundamental theories behind separating substances based on polarities and chemical properties.

CHE7506: Regulatory Affairs and Quality Systems

This module examines the process which runs parallel to the production of the biopharmaceutical product - the need for regulatory alignment with a body to ensure that a product which is being marketed is of the highest quality and safe for use.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Recognize and describe the process behind separations both on an analytical and preparative scale
• List the physical properties which determine the effectiveness of a separation technique
• Describe the methods of downstream processing in terms of the chromatography stationary phases and types of columns
• Understand the processes behind protein and peptide analysis, why this is important, and why it is key to eliminate the possibility of major variation
• Understand the operation and interpretation of analytical results of protein analysis in terms of hyphenated and non-hyphenated techniques including HPLC, GC, LC-MS, GC-MS, ICP-MS, CE-MS
• Model mathematically the most effective form of filtration for the separation of a protein from the living cell

Skills

The program develops the following skills:

• Core skills in underlying physical sciences, in particular physics and chemistry as applied to solving problems
• Logical thinking
• STEM skills
• Communication and reporting writing skills
• Mathematical problem-solving ability

Assessment

The assessment for each module varies, but includes a combination of coursework, examination, and practical work.

Credits

Each module is worth 20 credits.

Module Code

The module codes are:

• CHE7501: Medicinal Chemistry
• CHE7502: Biopharmaceuticals and Upstream Processing
• CHE7503: Chemical Engineering Principles
• CHE7504: Bioreactor Design and Bioprocess Control
• CHE7505: Separations, Downstream Processing and Bioanalytical Science
• CHE7506: Regulatory Affairs and Quality Systems

Teaching Period

The teaching period is Full Year.

Duration

The duration of each module is 12 weeks.

Pre-requisite

There are no pre-requisites for the modules.

Core/Optional

The modules are optional.

Tuition Fees

The tuition fees for the program are:

• Northern Ireland (NI): £2,434
• Republic of Ireland (ROI): £2,434
• England, Scotland or Wales (GB): £3,083
• EU Other: £8,600
• International: £8,600

Additional Course Costs

There are additional course costs, including:

• Books and access to online learning resources
• Photocopying, memory sticks, and printing charges
• Travel and accommodation costs for work placement or study abroad
• Graduation ceremony costs

Funding

The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. There are also postgraduate loans available from the UK government.

International Scholarships

There are international scholarships available for students from outside the EU.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required.

Career Prospects

The program will develop your biopharmaceutical engineering knowledge and skills, increasing your opportunity of being employed in many roles in the industry. You may be already in employment and want to skill up and equip yourself with the knowledge to either progress on or seek employment in a biopharma company.

Employment Links

Eli Lilly, Alexion, and WuXi are among the employers who regularly recruit our Chemical Engineering graduates in RoI and locally we also have good links with Almac, Norbrook, Eakin, and Teva.

Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award

In addition to your degree program, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic, and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports, and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognized from a world-leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.