Bioprocess Services

What we offer

BTEC’s Bioprocess Services meet clients’ needs with a wide variety of state-of-the-art equipment and flexible facilities, including the following:

Fermentation from bench scale up to 50 L disposable or 300 L stainless steel bioreactors
Cell culture from bench scale up to 50 L rocking bed or 250 L stirred-tank vessels
Centrifugation, homogenization, tangential flow filtration and normal flow filtration

See a list of BTEC's bioprocessing equipment »

BTEC also offers the following services:

Alpha or Beta testing of new components and devices
Bacterial challenges in support of cleaning studies
Process development
Non-clinical production up to 50 L
Culture of primate and human cell lines
Fermentation of spore-forming organisms
Production of some BSL-2 level viruses like influenza

In addition, BTEC can function as a subcontractor or co-PI to support academia and industry in their applications for new grant opportunities, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) applications.

How we work — The project lifecycle

Needs assessment

A collaboration with BTEC usually begins with discussions between BTEC’s staff and the client to ascertain that we can fulfill the client’s needs. In some situations, a Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA) may be necessary to enable a secure sharing of information between the parties. That CDA may be one-way or two-way, depending on the case.

Scope of work

Once BTEC’s ability to support the client is established, we create a scope of work and estimate of services. This non-binding document provides the client with the information needed to make decisions moving forward.

Cost estimate

Pricing depends on project requirements and takes into account the time that BTEC’s facilities will be used and that staff will dedicate to complete the scope of work. BTEC prefers materials to be provided by the client, but some pricing may include materials if that is more convenient for the client.

Project agreement

If the client decides that price and timing are appropriate, an agreement is created and signed by both parties. Two types of contracts enable BTEC to partner with its clients: a Testing Services Agreement (TSA) that allows testing and sharing of raw, non-analyzed data with the client, and a Sponsored Project Agreement (SPA), which enables an open sharing of ideas, data analysis and suggestions with the client.

Execution

Once the agreement is in place, the project usually begins within three weeks, but schedules vary depending on the client’s needs and the availability of BTEC’s facilities. Bioprocess Services has two laboratory areas fully dedicated to projects and independent of other activities. Large scale equipment is contingent upon BTEC’s class schedule.

A project begins with the assignation of a Scientist to lead activities and coordinate with the client. At that point, records are created and shared with the client for approval, materials are order/received, experiments completed, deliverables given to the client, residual materials collected and discarded or submitted back to the client, and invoices sent to accounts payable.

Bioprocess Services interacts with Analytical Services as needed throughout the project. Intermediate and final samples generated during the project’s lifetime are submitted for analysis to BTEC’s Analytical Services group and invoiced in a separate line upon completion of testing.

A note about client participation — Clients are welcome to join the Bioprocess Services Scientists in the lab at any point during a project execution. Questions are welcomed as long as they are reserved for times when the Scientist can give full attention to the client. Clients are not allowed to operate BTEC’s equipment. BTEC’s facilities are not available for rent.