EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Bioprocess Engineering Leadership

英国政府认识到“我们的经济是由高水平的技能和创造力驱动的”，并将技能投资作为从当前经济低迷中快速复苏的一种手段(《英国政府：新产业、新就业》，2009)。生物处理技能为细胞和微生物的受控培养以及安全、环保和成本效益高的生物制造工艺的设计奠定了基础。这种技能是通用的，越来越多地应用于化学、制药和再生医学部门。然而，最近的报告强调了具体的技能短缺，这限制了英国利用这些领域创造财富和就业机会的能力。他们强调生物加工技能的必要性，这些技能与“数学技能……应用于生物科学”、“发酵”和“下游加工”等核心生物加工操作有关，对于许多工程学毕业生来说，“缺乏实践经验”。英国公司报告了在“寻找有创造力的人在发酵和下游加工中工作”(ABPI：维持技能管道，2005和2008)以及在寻找能够应对“使用生物材料扩大生产所产生的挑战”方面的具体问题(工业生物技术创新和增长团队报告：从工业生物技术中最大化英国的机会，2009)。生物处理技能在国际上也很稀缺。许多英国公司已经注意到，在招聘研究生和精通生物处理技能的毕业生方面遇到的困难是普遍存在的，来自海外的拉动进一步夸大了这一点(生物科学创新和增长团队报告：生物科学2015、2003和2009年更新)。EPSRC工业博士中心(IDC)在生物过程工程领导力方面拥有成功的记录，为研究生科学家和工程师提供英国工业所需的生物处理技能。它将提供基于发酵和下游处理技能的‘整个生物过程’培训主题，这些技能将受益于获得装备精良的GB 25M生物过程中试工厂。该计划旨在加速毕业生进入博士研究，并建立一个多学科研究队列。许多先进的生物处理模块将通过我们的MBI培训方案提供，该方案每年受益于约70名行业专家的投入(www.ucl.ac.uk/BioChemeng/Industry/MBI)。研究项目将与许多领先的英国化学和制药公司合作进行。国际数据中心还将发挥重要作用，支持基于生物技术的中小型企业(SME)的研究活动。绝大多数EngD毕业生在毕业后进入相关的生物行业职业，这一建议将使IDC能够培养能够利用基础生物科学快速发展的下一代生物行业领导者，这一事实证明了对IDC的需求。特别是合成生物学的进步，现在使生物系统的合理设计能够利用可持续的原材料来源，并提高制造效率。这些将在化学品和生物燃料的生产、化学和生物药物的合成以及治疗细胞的培养方面带来好处。下一代IDC毕业生还将更好地理解英国企业现在必须在的全球背景下运营。这将通过为每一位EngD研究人员提供国际安置机会和新的培训途径来实现，无论是在生物工艺企业和创新方面，还是在卓越制造方面。通过这种方式，我们将为英国最优秀的科学和工程毕业生提供国际领先的研究和培训机会，从而为英国生物加工行业的未来成功做出贡献。

The UK government recognises that 'our economy is driven by high levels of skills and creativity' and has prioritised investment in skills as a means to recovery rapidly from the current economic downturn (HM Government: New Industry, New Jobs, 2009). Bioprocessing skills underpin the controlled culture of cells and microorganisms and the design of safe, environmentally friendly and cost-effective bio-manufacturing processes. Such skills are generic and are increasingly being applied in the chemical, pharmaceutical and regenerative medicine sectors.Recent reports, however, highlight specific skills shortages that constrain the UK's capacity to capitalise on opportunities for wealth and job creation in these areas. They emphasise the need for bioprocessing skills related to the application of 'mathematical skills... to biological sciences', in core bioprocess operations such as 'fermentation' and 'downstream processing' and, for many engineering graduates 'inadequate practical experience'. UK companies have reported specific problems in 'finding creative people to work in fermentation and downstream processing' (ABPI: Sustaining the Skills Pipeline, 2005 & 2008) and in finding individuals capable of addressing 'challenges that arise with scaling-up production using biological materials' (Industrial Biotechnology Innovation and Growth Team report: Maximising UK Opportunities from Industrial Biotechnology, 2009). Bioprocessing skills are also scarce internationally. Many UK companies have noted 'the difficulties experienced in recruiting post-graduates and graduates conversant with bioprocessing skills is widespread and is further exaggerated by the pull from overseas (Bioscience Innovation and Growth Team report: Bioscience 2015, 2003 & 2009 update).The EPSRC Industrial Doctorate Centre (IDC) in Bioprocess Engineering Leadership has a successful track record of equipping graduate scientists and engineers with the bioprocessing skills needed by UK industry. It will deliver a 'whole bioprocess' training theme based around fermentation and downstream processing skills which will benefit from access to a superbly equipped £25M bioprocess pilot plant. The programme is designed to accelerate graduates into doctoral research and to build a multidisciplinary research cohort. Many of the advanced bioprocessing modules will be delivered via our MBI Training Programme which benefits from input by some 70 industry experts annually (www.ucl.ac.uk/biochemeng/industry/mbi). Research projects will be carried out in collaboration with many of the leading UK chemical and pharmaceutical companies. The IDC will also play an important role supporting research activities within biotechnology-based small to medium size enterprises (SMEs). The need for the IDC is evidenced by the fact that the vast majority of EngD graduates progress to relevant bioindustry careers upon graduation.This proposal will enable the IDC to train the next generation of bioindustry leaders capable of exploiting rapid progress in the underpinning biological sciences. Advances in Synthetic Biology in particular now enable the rational design of biological systems to utilise sustainable sources of raw materials and for improved manufacturing efficiency. These will lead to benefits in the production of chemicals and biofuels, in the synthesis of chemical and biological pharmaceuticals and in the culture of cells for therapy. The next generation of IDC graduates will also possess a better understand of the global context in which UK companies must now operate. This will be achieved by providing each EngD researcher with international placement opportunities and new training pathways either in bioprocess enterprise and innovation or in manufacturing excellence. In this way we will provide the best UK science and engineering graduates with internationally leading research and training opportunities and so contribute to the future success of the UK bioprocess industries.