Upskilling Courses

Course Description

Massachusetts continues to be recognized as the world’s premier hub for the life sciences and biotechnology. In response to the ongoing need for entry-level talent within the industry, Gloucester Biotechnology Academy has developed an intensive, hands-on course designed to enhance skills crucial for careers in cell culture and biomanufacturing.

The curriculum features practical training on state-of-the-art instrumentation, allowing students to learn how mammalian cell culture is used to develop small molecule therapies and scale their production in a manufacturing environment.

Training consists of 40 hours of laboratory experiments over a two-week session. In the first week, students learn basic mammalian cell culture techniques. In week two, students apply the mammalian cell culture techniques to produce a monoclonal antibody in a bioreactor.

The course is offered mornings, 9:00a to 3:00p.

Please note, students enrolling in this program MUST be proficient in micropipetting, lab math, and solution prep. Given the tight timeline of the course, it will be fast paced, and we want to make sure all participants are set up for success.

Please click here to view or download our 2026 flier.

Registration Information

Learning Outcomes

Students who complete this course will be proficient in the following skills:

  • Following and maintaining detailed batch records
  • Working aseptically in a biosafety cabinet
  • Thawing, passaging, feeding, counting, and banking
  • Cryopreservation
  • Cell staining and microscopy
  • Preparing growth media and buffers
  • Assembling and maintaining a bioreactor
  • Transfecting mammalian cells
  • Developing a seed culture to inoculate a bioreactor
  • Monitoring cellular viability and predicting harvest times
  • Harvesting with centrifugation and filtration
  • Purifying antibodies with column chromatography
  • Evaluating antibody purity and yield with cellular assays

Featured Instrumentation

  • Biosafety cabinets
  • Manual and digital cell counters
  • Microscopes (inverted, compound light, fluorescent)
  • Bioreactors
  • Single-use vessels
  • AKTA Pure column chromatography
  • UNICORN software
  • High pressure liquid chromatography

Industry Roles

Students who complete this training will be qualified for the following roles:

  • Biomanufacturing Associate
  • Biomanufacturing Technician – Upstream/Downstream
  • Biomanufacturing Technician – QA/QC
  • Cell Culture Technician
  • Media Technician
  • Research Associate – Cell Culture/Cell Biology