87380 - Pharmaceutical Technologies M

Academic Year 2025/2026

  • Moduli: Valerio Cozzani (Modulo 1) Ernesto Salzano (Modulo 2) Giordano Emrys Scarponi (Modulo 3)
  • Teaching Mode: In-person learning (entirely or partially) (Modulo 1); In-person learning (entirely or partially) (Modulo 2); In-person learning (entirely or partially) (Modulo 3)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Chemical and Process Engineering (cod. 8896)

Learning outcomes

The course aims at introducing the design of unit operations and equipment specific of the pharmaceutical industry. Criteria and procedures for process design, quality control and certification will be introduced.

Course contents

Requirements/Prior knowledge

A prior knowledge and understanding of local and integral balances of mass and energy, fluid dynamics models (perfect mixing and plug flow) is required to attend with profit this course.

In addition, students should master the utilization of spreadsheets.

Fluent spoken and written English is a necessary pre-requisite, because all lectures and tutorials, and all study material will be in English.

Program

Illustration of objectives and aims of the course.

Characteristics and peculiarities of the pharmaceutical industry. Outline of pharmaceutical legislation. The quality of the product.

Fundamentals of chemical kinetics for the synthesis of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API)

The determination of the shelf-life of pharmaceutical products.

Viable methods for the kinetic analysis in the synthesis of API in batch and continuous reactors.

Sterilization of pharma products: decimal decay time, lethality time, batch and continuous reactor for the sterilization

Sterilization processes at variable temperatures

Vaporization and concentration processes

Drying processes

Batch distillation

Case studies presented by professionals

Readings/Bibliography

Chemical Engineering in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Second Edition, D.J. am Ende and M.T. am Ende (Eds.), 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Teaching methods

Power point lecture presentations, demonstrations and practical classes.

Lectures by professionals.

Assessment methods

Achievements will be assessed by means of a written test which consists of the solution of two exercises (module 2) and open questions (2 to 5 questions) (module 3)

Higher grades (from 25/30 to 30/30) will be awarded to students who demonstrate an organic understanding of the subject, a high ability for critical application, a clear and concise presentation of their ideas, and an appropriate use of technical language.

A failing grade will be awarded if the student shows knowledge gaps in key concepts of the subject, inappropriate use of language, and/or logic failures in the analysis of the subject.

Teaching tools

Teaching material including PowerPoint slides, lecture notes are available to the students via the Virtuale Platform.

Material includes the analysis of case studies, examples and illustration of the solutions.

Office hours

See the website of Valerio Cozzani

See the website of Ernesto Salzano

See the website of Giordano Emrys Scarponi

SDGs

Good health and well-being Industry, innovation and infrastructure

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.