NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – A new certificate program offered by the University of Oklahoma Gallogly College of Engineering is equipping students with advanced, hands-on bioprocessing laboratory experience. The certificate is designed to train students in biomanufacturing workflows and prepare them for future careers in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries.
The program is open to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the university. Undergraduate students complete 15 hours of coursework, and graduate students complete 12 hours.
The curriculum includes courses such as Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering and Advanced Techniques in Biomanufacturing that lay the groundwork for the workflows required for Oklahoma’s growing biomedical and biotechnology industry. To further enhance their expertise, students enroll in elective courses like Intelligent Data Analytics to specialize their knowledge. They then apply this knowledge to the capstone course, where they conduct an experimental production run.
The Bioprocessing Core Facility is the cornerstone of the program, providing students with access to state-of-the-art biomanufacturing technology. Recently opened, the facility is designed to replicate the conditions found in industry settings, providing students with an authentic learning environment while giving them the tools they need to graduate with hands-on experience in biomanufacturing. This preparation equips students to meet the demands of the biomanufacturing and pharmaceutical fields upon entering the workforce.
“They learn how to work with this equipment, they develop the necessary skills and they gain an understanding of what is happening in an industrial setup. This makes them job-ready,” said Farid Talebnia Rowshan, facility director.
This semester, the program opened its very first training course with a limited number of students. The program is open for students to enroll for the spring 2025 semester. Learn more about the program at ou.edu/coe/scbme/academics/bioprocessing-certificate-program.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Robin Zape-tah-hol-ah Starr Minthorn (Kiowa), professor and chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the University of Oklahoma Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, has been elected president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) — becoming the first Indigenous person to hold this role in the organization’s history.
A new study from the University of Oklahoma suggests that small genetic differences in two proteins – previously known for their role in premature infants’ lungs – may also influence how their eyes develop, potentially affecting the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
University of Oklahoma researcher Elizabeth Wellberg, Ph.D., is the senior author of a review article in The Journal of Clinical Investigation that gathers current research evidence about the effects of GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic and Zepbound, on cancer risk.
