Leading centrifugal separation solutions provider Alfa Laval has forged a collaborative partnership with Ireland’s National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) to enhance and expand the Institute’s cell separation training solutions for the biopharma manufacturing industry.

Under this collaboration, Alfa Laval has made a CultureOne Primo Separator, the company’s cutting-edge single-use disc stack centrifuge, available to NIBRT’s research and training facilities. The three-year loan – with an option to extend afterwards – is the first of its kind in the industry and underlines Alfa Laval’s commitment to advancing separation technology and education.

“NIBRT is dedicated to delivering world-class training that prepares individuals for success in the ever-evolving bioprocessing industry," said John Milne, Training Director at NIBRT. "Our partnership with Alfa Laval aligns perfectly with our mission to stay at the forefront of industry innovations and equip our students with the latest tools and expertise."

The separator will empower NIBRT to significantly expand its training capabilities, with students and industry professionals able to gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art cell separation technology. This invaluable opportunity will enable NIBRT's clients to acquire practical knowledge and skills that can be applied to tackle industry challenges and drive innovation in biopharma manufacturing.

Alfa Laval's CultureOne Primo includes the company’s TopStream™ innovation for continuous solids discharge, ensuring uninterrupted centrifuge operation, and boasts a fully hermetic bottom-fed design for gentle product handling and optimal clarification. Its hermetic design safeguards cell cultures from lysis, enabling intact recovery for potential reprocessing, while Alfa Laval’s pre-sterilised Spinsert™ technology ensures all product-contact parts are disposable and recyclable, enhancing convenience and sustainability.

“We are proud to offer the world’s most complete and diverse offering of separators and give students and industry access to the latest solutions under this first-of-its-kind agreement,” said Ian Forrester, Business Unit Manager for Separation Systems for Alfa Laval UK.

“Through the application of technologies such as the CultureOne Primo, we can actively move towards better practice in the culture separation and wider pharmaceutical market. We look forward to our continued co-operation with NIBRT as a well-established centre for learning and education and hope the CultureOne will be integral to its ongoing research and training activities.”