Select one of the following topics and write a 5000 to 6000-word essay (not including reference lists). You may suggest your own essay title but must first have it approved by the lecturer to ensure that it is relevant to the module aims – send him a short outline of what it will cover.  Each essay must do the following:

1. Explains clearly and accurately the basis for the technology as used in manufacturing scale protein purification or downstream processing (DSP). What is it best designed to achieve and how does it fit into the overall DSP process?
2. Provides clear and well illustrated (sample data from published studies) applications or case studies of the technology in action or development for DSP drawn where possible from recent (last 5 years) relevant published peer-review articles.
3. Discuss the technology in terms of both its usefulness and its limitations. Compare different studies and highlight where it has proven particularly useful and any innovations that might have contributed to this. This may also include suggestions on alternate technologies that can overcome any identified limitations and/or improve the overall usefulness of the technology.
4. Indicate clearly and accurately sources of information used to develop the essay content (citations within the text and reference lists). Insofar as possible, these are to be drawn from recent (last 5 years) relevant published peer-reviewed articles.
5. Your essay submission must demonstrate a personal deep understanding of the technology and its applications. Draw your own conclusions on the merits or otherwise of the chosen technology. This will be written in your own words. Plagiarism is considered a very serious offence and will attract severe penalties up to and including outright failure in the essay assignment (review the guidance notes on plagiarism provided on the Moodle page).

Topics to Select From

1. Review of Chromatography Steps for Effective, Efficient Downstream Processing of Biotherapeutic Proteins
2. Membrane Chromatography – A Real Alternative to Traditional Resin Based Column Systems
3. Review of Product Recovery Steps as a Part of Downstream Processing (not including chromatography and viral reduction steps)
4. Practical Design, Application and Validation of a Viral Reduction Strategy for Downstream Processing
5. Developing and Approving a Process-Scale Chromatography System