COURSE OVERVIEW
Offered through the Faculty of Science at York University, the micro-credential in Vaccine Production and Quality Assurance provides accelerated, experiential, and industry-centered training on the fundamentals of vaccine production and emerging technologies. Existing and novel vaccine platform technologies are explored, including nucleic acid-based (DNA/RNA) and recombinant protein-based technologies.
Completing this micro-credential will provide the knowledge and skills needed to secure in-demand jobs in vaccine biomanufacturing and processing.
COURSE DATE
January 26, 2027 - April 12, 2027
DELIVERY (Blended)
• Modules 1-8: Asynchronous online modules, with optional synchronous sessions.
• Module 9: In-person laboratory session.
COST
$899 - Eligible for OSAP funding
What you will learn
This course will teach participants to:
- Implement basic principles of immunology and vaccinology in the creation, evaluation, and troubleshooting of vaccine-related solutions.
- Describe traditional and emerging platforms for vaccine production and evaluate their advantages and challenges.
- Identify key stages to bring vaccines from research and development to commercialization.
- Identify main equipment used in vaccine production along with key principles of equipment qualification and validation in a manufacturing setting.
- Define Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and their importance in vaccine production, safety, and efficacy.
- Apply procedures and standards used in Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) to maintain high-quality vaccine production.
- Describe and evaluate the role of public health agencies and regulatory bodies in vaccine approval and distribution.
- Appreciate the importance of community engagement and education in the successful implementation of vaccination programs.
Program benefits
The Vaccine Production and Quality Assurance micro-credential is designed for science trainees or professionals looking to upskill for vaccine production-related positions. Through accelerated, experiential, and flexible instruction, co-delivered with industry experts, participants will quickly and effectively gain essential competencies to enhance their employability. Participants will also be connected to employment opportunities through various features such as networking events and industry presence in the modules.
After successful completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate of completion and a digital badge for their professional profile. The digital badge is issued through Credly, a leading digital credential platform. The achievement will populate within the credential section of the Credly account, and this digital badge can be shared through eCV and LinkedIn.
Science trainees interested in careers in vaccine production, or professionals already working in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology sector interested in expanding their portfolio, should consider taking this course.
Eligibility
- Prerequisites: two university-level cell and molecular biology (or related) courses, or permission of instructor
Date & Time
- Start Date: Monday, January 26, 2027
- End Date: Monday, April 12, 2027
- 9 weekly modules completed over a period of 12 weeks (1 break week).
How Each Weekly Module Works
Every module follows the same one-week cycle:
|
Wed 12:00 p.m. |
Module opens (the previous module closes) |
|
Wed to Mon |
Work through the activities on your own schedule, including the weekend |
|
Tue 11:00 a.m. |
Live online session with the instructor (optional, recorded) |
|
Tue to Wed 12:00 p.m. |
Finish and submit any outstanding work |
|
Wed 12:00 p.m. |
Module closes and the next module opens |
Delivery
- Reading Week runs Sat., Feb. 13 to Fri., Feb. 19.
- Module 3 pauses during the break.
- An industry panel/networking event will take place this term. The date will be determined as we get closer.
Detailed Schedule
| Module | Opens Wed 12:00 p.m. | Live session Tue 11:00 am (optional, recorded) | Closes Wed 12:00 p.m. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Jan 26 (Tue) | Orientation | ||
| Module 1 | Jan 27 (Wed) | Feb 2 (Tue) | Feb 3 (Wed) | |
| Module 2 | Feb 3 (Wed) | Feb 9 (Tue) | Feb 10 (Wed) | |
| Module 3 | Feb 10 (Wed) | |||
| Reading Week | Feb 13 (Sat) to Feb 19 (Fri). No classes. | |||
| Module 3 (continued) | Feb 23 (Tue) | Feb 24 (Wed) | ||
| Module 4 | Feb 24 (Wed) | Mar 2 (Tue) | Mar 3 (Wed) | |
| Module 5 | Mar 3 (Wed) | Mar 9 (Tue) | Mar 10 (Wed) | |
| Module 6 | Mar 10 (Wed) | Mar 16 (Tue) | Mar 17 (Wed) | |
| Module 7 | Mar 17 (Wed) | Mar 23 (Tue) | Mar 24 (Wed) | |
| Module 8 | Mar 24 (Wed) | Mar 30 (Tue) | Mar 31 (Wed) | |
| Module 9 | Mar 31 (Wed) (pre-lab activities) | In-Person Laboratory Apr 9 (Fri) or Apr 12 (Mon) 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Markham Campus Room 6045 |
Assessment
- Pass/Fail
Technical Requirements:
- An internet connection that can support video streaming – broadband wired or wireless (at least 3G or 4G/LTE)
- A laptop or Desktop computer with:
- Speakers and a microphone: built-in / USB plug-in / wireless Bluetooth
- A webcam or HD webcam: built-in / USB plug-in
- Or, HD cam or HD camcorder with video capture card
- Processor: Dual Core 2Ghz or Higher (i3/i5/i7 or AMD equivalent)
- Operating system:
- Windows or macOS
Dr. Luz Puentes Jácome
Dr. Luz Puentes Jácome is an Assistant Professor (Teaching Stream) at the Department of Biology at York University Markham Campus. Her experience includes teaching various biotechnology courses at the University of Toronto and York University. Dr. Puentes has also developed graduate-level Biotechnology courses and laboratories. Before joining York University, Dr. Puentes was investigating how to scale up anaerobic biotechnologies in instrumented bioreactors. Dr. Puentes enjoys teaching and learning bioprocess principles applicable to the diverse areas of Biotechnology.
Dr. Jade Atallah
Dr. Jade Atallah is an Assistant Professor (Teaching Stream) at the Department of Biology at York University Markham Campus. Her experience includes teaching various cell and molecular biology and genetics courses at the University of Toronto, McMaster University and York University, and developing graduate-level Biotechnology programs, courses, and laboratories.
For registration inquiries, please contact Robin Metcalfe, Associate Dean, at sciadstu@yorku.ca.
For questions about the course content, please contact the Course Director at biot-mkm@yorku.ca.