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Industrial Biotechnology Learning Center
Click here to watch a slideshow of our inauguration day!
Our beginning [Top]
 In 2002 the Industrial Biotechnology Program at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez established a partnership with Amgen to initiate a pioneer program to develop customized training to facilitate employee transition into the biotechnology field. This initiative was further expanded into the industrial biotechnology learning Center (IBLC). The IBLC goal is “to enhance workforce skills in biotechnology-related tasks to ensure quality performance for higher competitiveness in the global market.” The IBLC has Puerto Rico’s transition a knowledge-based bio-economy.
Our achievements [Top]
 Our interdisciplinary team designed biotechnology curricula which resulted in the training of over 300 employees from Amgen, Lilly, Inseco and Ochoa. Twelve of our UPR-M faculty made industrial internships at Amgen, California and Lilly del Caribe to develop training materials. Forty employees from Dominican Republic were trained in a 40–hour curriculum. Five customized curricula were developed and implemented to address company specific knowledge and skills profiles. Trainings involved lecture, hands-on experiences, distance learning sessions and assessment. All previous experiences have resulted in a curricular revision to incorporate industrial topics into the undergraduate biotechnology curriculum.
Our facilities [Top]
The IBLC is a 2,000 square feet facility equipped for training in microbial and mammalian cell culture technology. Trainings can address upstream and downstream processing, in addition to environmental monitoring and quality control.
Our thanks [Top]
To UPR-M faculty:
Dr. Lorenzo Saliceti, Dr. Rosa Buxeda, Dr. Rodolfo Romañach, Dr. Pedro Resto, Dr. Miguel Torres, Dr. Elsie Parés, Dr. Emilio Díaz, Dr. Guillermo Colón, Dr. David Suleiman, Dr. Carlos Rinaldi, and Dr. Jaime Ramírez Vick.
To company leaders:
Eng. Emilio Rivera (Amgen), Eng. Madhu Balachandran (Amgen), Dr. Betsaida Torres (Lilly), Eng. José Martínez (Abbott), Ramón Rijos (Ortho Biologics), Eng. Julio Juarbe (Pall Life Sciences), Néstor Guedez (Inseco), José Rossi (AMS) and Vangie López.
To Government leaders:
Esq. Héctor Jiménez Juarbe (former PRIDCO Executive Director) and Eng. Manuel Hormaza (former PRIDCO Science and Technology Office Director).
Our Sponsors [Top]
| Abbott |
Ortho Biologics |
| AIREKO |
Pall Life Sciences |
| Amgen |
PRIDCo |
| Lilly del Caribe |
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| Overview of Biotechnology |
Environmental Control |
| Team Building |
Microbial Fermentation |
Engineering for Non-
Engineers |
Protein, Recovery & Purification |
| Control Systems |
Process Validation |
| Instrumentation and Metrology |
Formulation and Filling Packaging |
| Process Support |
Plant Design |
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