BTL2 case studies
BTL2 · Put your knowledge to work in context.
BTL2 is a professional-level biotechnology certification exam organized around four equally weighted domains: cell biology and biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics, microbiology and immunology, and biotechnology applications and bioprocessing. It is aimed at candidates who already hold a foundation in the life sciences - laboratory technicians, research assistants, quality-control staff, and graduates moving into biomanufacturing or applied research roles - and who want independent evidence that their knowledge spans both bench science and production practice. The BTL2 case studies are 5 cases and about 2,470 words.
1Fermenter Oxygen Transfer Limit in a High-Cell-Density E. coli Run
A 200 L stirred-tank bioreactor produces a recombinant His-tagged enzyme in E. At 30 °C the dissolved oxygen (DO) controller holds 30% air saturation at an agitation of 600 rpm and 1 vvm aeration.
574 words, about 3 min2Ambiguous TP53 Variant in a Familial Cancer Workup
A 41-year-old woman with early-onset breast cancer (age 38) and a mother who had ovarian cancer at 52 undergoes germline panel testing. The laboratory reports a TP53 variant, c.733G A, classified as a variant of uncertain significance (VUS).
500 words, about 3 min3Contamination in a Mammalian Cell Perfusion Culture
A CHO cell perfusion bioreactor producing a monoclonal antibody shows a sudden drop in viable cell density from 20 to 12 million cells/mL over 48 hours, with a rise in lactate from 2 to 9 g/L and a fall in product titer. The turbidity increases and Gram staining of a sample shows Gram-negative rods.
459 words, about 2 min4Mitochondrial Defect Presenting with Lactic Acidosis
A 6-month-old infant presents with poor feeding, hypotonia, and a blood lactate of 8 mmol/L (normal <2) that rises further after a carbohydrate-rich feed. Blood glucose is low at 2.8 mmol/L, and liver function tests show mild transaminitis.
465 words, about 2 min5Antibody Titer Drop in a Perfusion Harvest Line
A perfusion CHO process produces an antibody at 1.2 g/L in the bioreactor. After a harvest line change, the clarified harvest entering the capture column shows a titer of only 0.6 g/L by Protein A HPLC, while the bioreactor titer remains stable at 1.2 g/L.
472 words, about 2 min