Recently, our main webserver went down, as they sometimes do. While it was down, we couldn't receive mail, and people couldn't reach us on the web. So we set up some other ways to keep in touch, in case it ever happens again.

...go to our backup website

www.prismtc.net

Why not visit now and bookmark it. It's our just-in-case site - and it's on a different server. It lists all the other ways to get a message to us, or to view our webpages.

You can now also follow us on Twitter.

Our email is back! Tuesday 19th am. Many apologies for the gap in service. And many thanks to everyone for your patience.

We'd hate to have missed anything while our mailserver was down, so if you have any doubt whether we've received your recent email (back to, and including Friday) please resend it now and we'll get onto it right away.

Having our email go down for such a period has given us pause for thought. We actually have an alternative email address info<at>prismtc.net, but no good way of letting everyone know about it. We want to see if we can come up with some better options for everyone if our email goes down again. We'll post here what we come up with.

Here's a copy of the slidepack from our recent Introduction to Lean Sigma seminar. Thanks to all those who attended and whose input and contributions added to the day. Click on the icon at the top-right of the panel below for a full screen view.

On Monday through Wednesday, Ian and Craig are co-presenting the DoE for Bioprocess Optimisation course at University College, London. This is one of the units in the Modular Training for the Bioprocess Industries Programme (MBI®) run by the Department of Biochemical Engineering at UCL.

Guest speaker on Monday is Phil Borman of GlaxoSmithKline. At GSK, Phil is a manager in Strategic Technologies, Chemical Development, based at Stevenage.

Here’s a link to  a PharmTech paper, which Phil co-authored and upon which his talk is based.

You can also read Craig’s article that introduces the DoE for Bioprocess Optimisation module itself.

The new release (v3.0) of CELLULA-V has a completely new skin. Here's an advance view of some screenshots showing the new look. With CELLULA-V, you can calculate and visualise process capabaility within ExcelTM. It's an ideal Quality by Design tool, helping you to capture your evolving process knowledge and convey it to others. It's equally applicable to processes undergoing initial development and also for processes in routine use.

For Processes in Development

Process performance charts show the improvements made throughout the development phase.

Process performance metrics quantify how capable the process is at delivering in-spec product.

Process parameter metrics show the journey taken during the development phase.

For Processes in Routine Use

Statistical process control charts showing how, over a number of campaigns, an individual Product Attribute is improved in its performance against spec.

Capability and performance metrics for the whole process, shown over 3 campaigns.

Process performance tracking - presented in terms of sigma. Overall capability is reflected in the size and colour of the bubble.

On Thurs 26th March, we’ll be running our new, free one-day seminar Introduction to Lean Sigma, at the Cambridge Innovation Centre. If you're keen to get to grips with Lean Sigma and want to achieve sustainable, measurable improvements in customer service, product and process quality, then this is for you.

Attendance is free, and you can register your free place on-line.

An Introduction to Lean Sigma: One-day seminar

1000-1630 26th March 2009.

• Introducing Lean Sigma: Lean Sigma overview and history. DMAIC project framework explained.
• Benefits available: The benefits of a Lean Sigma approach to business change and improvement.
• Lean Sigma in use: Examples. Developing an improvement strategy for your company.
• Getting started: Making the case for, and deploying Lean Sigma in your organisation.

Workshop Fee: free

Tea, coffee included. Buy your own lunch in the canteen.

Venue:

10:00-4:30, 26 March 2009, Cambridge Innovation Centre (map)

This session is a taster for the full Black Belt programme that we are planning to run in the second half of this year.

As part of our BBSRC-supported collaboration with the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering at University College, London, we are co-presenting a DoE for BioProcess Optimisation 3-day workshop at UCL on 16-18 March 2009.  The scope is described here by our presenter Craig Gershater:

Teddy Bears, catapults and Ishikawa

What do Teddy Bears, catapults and Ishikawa (this is not a motorbike!) have to do with doing better science? The answer lies in a new course being offered by

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