The University of Oklahoma has officially launched its new Bioprocessing Core Facility (OU BPCF)—a major investment in biotechnology research, hands-on education and regional economic development. Funded through a Build Back Better Regional Challenge (EDA) grant, which was secured in partnership with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber—a key collaborator in advancing the proposal and aligning regional economic development priorities, the $4 million facility is already positioning OU as a leader in biomanufacturing education and innovation.
Located in the OKC Innovation District, the Bioprocessing Core Facility (BPCF) offers students, researchers and industry partners access to state-of-the-art biomanufacturing equipment, spanning from lab-scale to pilot-scale production. The facility enables everything from cell culture expansion to downstream protein purification, mirroring the full workflow used in pharmaceutical manufacturing and biotechnology development.
“Basically, what you’re seeing here is a miniature version of an industrial biomanufacturing setup,” said Dr. Farid Talebnia Rowshan, research assistant professor and director of the OU BPCF, during a recent tour. “We built this facility to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world industry needs.”…