Fermentation Workshops

COEIB offers two fermentation workshop formats each academic semester: an in-person workshop and a virtual workshop. Both are four-day programs that introduce participants to critical fermentation concepts and provide a structured learning experience for professionals at a range of experience levels.

Across both formats, workshop content includes topics such as bioprocessing, genetics, bioenergetics, bioreactors, recombinant technologies, fermentation kinetics, microbial nutrition, BioPAT trace technology, and related areas of industrial biotechnology. The workshops are designed to expand technical knowledge, strengthen process understanding, and increase professional exposure to fermentation systems used throughout the biotechnology industry.

: The in-person fermentation workshop is a four-day course held on Penn State’s University Park campus in the CSL Behring Fermentation Facility. This workshop combines lecture-based instruction with hands-on laboratory experience, giving participants the opportunity to apply core fermentation concepts in a real instructional setting.

Throughout the four-day program, participants engage with key topics in fermentation science and bioprocessing while also completing guided lab activities. Hands-on components may include bioreactor preparation, data logging, inoculation and sampling, aeration exercises, and agitation studies. This format is designed for professionals who want a more immersive experience that pairs technical instruction with practical application.
: The virtual fermentation workshop is a four-day program delivered online over four Thursdays through Zoom. This workshop covers the same core lecture topics as the in-person offering, including bioprocessing, recombinant technologies, kinetics, microbial nutrition, and BioPAT trace technology.

Rather than hands-on laboratory simulations, the virtual format emphasizes active learning through instructor-guided case studies and applied discussion. This option is well suited for professionals seeking flexible access to Penn State fermentation training while building knowledge in essential industrial biotechnology concepts.

What Participants Will Learn

Both fermentation workshops are designed to strengthen understanding of foundational and applied topics in industrial biotechnology. Participants leave with broader technical knowledge, stronger familiarity with fermentation operations, and greater confidence in discussing core biotechnology processes. Areas of focus include:

Fermentation processes
Bioprocessing principles
Recombinant technologies
Fermentation kinetics, including batch and fed-batch systems
Microbial nutrition
BioPAT trace technology
Aeration and agitation evaluation
Scale-up strategies
Data analysis

Instructors:

Register Here

What Participants Will Learn

Instructors:

Ali Demirci

Mekala Venkatachalam

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