Training employees with little or no previous experience in biopharmaceutical development can be a tedious task that places a significant burden on managers. Due to the lack of available training options, many new hires learn the logistics of their assigned process or experiment without the requisite scientific knowledge, limiting their ability to fully understand or solve problems related to their work.
Having a technical e-learning library with online modules explaining the scientific fundamentals of biopharmaceutical manufacturing will enable more effective technical training, decrease the time to competency and relieve managers of this difficult and time-consuming task.
Developed a comprehensive e-learning library with 24 interactive modules and 3 hours of recorded content, providing foundational knowledge in protein basics, upstream, and downstream biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Enables rapid onboarding and cross-functional training, reducing the burden on managers and decreasing time to employee competency while standardizing knowledge across early-career biotech employees.
Offers flexible, accessible training for NIIMBL members and educators, filling a critical gap where existing resources are either too comprehensive, costly, or inconsistent.
Strengthens the biopharmaceutical workforce by improving scientific understanding, enabling employees to contribute to experimental planning and decision-making rather than performing tasks without context.
This project delivered a robust e-learning library consisting of 24 short, interactive modules and over 3 hours of narrated content, covering protein basics and key upstream and downstream manufacturing processes. The training includes animations, schematics, expert interviews, and equipment videos to maximize engagement and learning effectiveness. Since completion, the modules have been accessed by more than 2,300 individuals, demonstrating significant adoption and impact across the biopharmaceutical industry. These resources are now integrated into NIIMBL member training programs and available through the University of Maryland’s open catalog platform, ensuring ongoing value to the workforce.
This project created a series of 24 modules in protein basics, upstream, and downstream. The three hours of recorded content can be found here. NIIMBL members can receive a discount ($25 compared to $50 price) using the discount code "NIIMBL_workforce".
Incorporation of expert videos, equipment demonstrations, schematics, and animations to enhance engagement and comprehension.
More than 2,300 users have accessed the modules since completion, indicating strong uptake and measurable impact on workforce training.
Development of an e-Learning Library for New Biotech Employees (PC2.1-008), NIIMBL Member Forum, Virtual, September 26, 2019.
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University of Maryland College Park
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
