15 April 2015 16:21

Health and medicine students at Lancaster University have visited a manufacturing site of one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

A group of 26 Lancaster University masters students on Biomedicine or Medical Biotechnology with Leadership courses visited GSK’s Ulverston site to learn more about the manufacturing process of medicines.

They were shown key aspects of the process including quality control, sterile and clean environments, monitoring for efficiency, supplier control and security, temperature control, inventory, environmental impact of activity.

The visit also included a team game designed to get them working together to solve problems such as assigning roles, working out a protocol, sticking to it, keeping records and other essential industry skills required by employers.

This was the third time GSK has welcomed students from Lancaster University.

Dr Karen Wright, from Lancaster University’s Faculty of Health and Medicine, said: “Visits to industrial partners such as GSK, as well as highlighting the important links between the university and regional businesses, are invaluable experience for our students.

“They are able to hear first-hand from industry experts how processes work in order to commercialise research into health-related products such as pharmaceuticals. This knowledge will be invaluable when they come to start their careers after obtaining their qualifications.”