Biomanufacturing Education & Training Center at WPI

The BETC at WPI is led by a small core of professionals with more than 80 years of combined experience in biomanufacturing, laboratory facilities management, and professional development. Our staff are passionate about providing individuals with the skills they need to further their careers and fuel the growth of their industry.

Floyd Brownewell

Professor of Practice, WPI Biomanufacturing Education & Training Center, Biology & Biotechnology
+1-508-831-6321, fbrownewell@wpi.edu

EDUCATION: Postdoc Chemistry Stanford University, PhD Chemistry University of Vermont

Floyd has enjoyed a blended career spanning research and development, heavy chemicals manufacturing, healthcare single use manufacturing, and academia. This experience has provided a unique interface between the theoretical and the practical. Floyd understands the need for innovation and invention coupled with manufacturability. He brings this perspective to the classroom and the projects he engages.

His research interests span the interface between organic chemistry and biological function. He is interested in synthetically modified amino acids and nucleic acids and incorporation of those structures within biopolymers. This fusion permits probing the non-bonded interactions between modified peptides, oligonucleic acids, and natural molecules of interest. Additionally, insight gained from these interaction can be leveraged to create new polymers with biologically relevant characteristics.

Chris Bellerive
Operations Manager, WPI Biomanufacturing Education & Training Center
+1-508-831-4879, cabellerive@wpi.edu

Chris has more than 18 years of experience in the biomanufacturing industry, including 15 years of management experience. His background includes technology transfer and process scale-up, as well as clinical and commercial cGMP manufacturing and training. Chris has held leadership roles in both manufacturing and quality assurance for commercial products and is a subject matter expert in all phases of biologics manufacturing.Read more.

As Operations Manager at the BETC, Chris is responsible for overseeing and maintaining the laboratories and equipment, developing laboratory experiments and processes, and instructing program participants on manufacturing operations. He is skilled in project management, data analysis, and producing technical summaries for regulatory bodies, as well as internal and external quality auditing. He is particularly adept in laboratory flow, inventory management, the maintenance and calibration of equipment and instrumentation, and laboratory and chemical/hazardous waste safety.

Chris’s experience includes work at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, BASF/Abbott Bioresearch Center, Unisyn Technologies, and Alpha Beta Technologies, where he gained expertise in quality assurance, regulatory/compliance, equipment design/start up, and validation, as well as developing and implementing continuous improvement processes.

Chris supports the BETC faculty, staff and participants by managing all aspects of the laboratory environment to ensure smooth, efficient operations.

Catherine Bouthillier
Senior Manager, Corporate Partnerships, WPI Biomanufacturing Education & Training Center
+1-508.831.4653, cbouthillier@wpi.edu

Catherine D. Bouthillier is the Senior Manager of Healthcare Corporate Partnerships at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). In this capacity, she specializes in delivering consultancy services to Life Science companies, offering tailored solutions in research and development as well as training.

Her ability to promptly access and leverage the formidable resources at WPI encompasses facilities such as: PracticePoint, the Cell Engineering Research Equipment Suite (CERES), the Biomanufacturing Education & Training Center (BETC), and the Intentional Design Studio (IDeaS). Her extensive network of industry experts and students empowers organizations of all sizes to expedite their research initiatives, optimize operational timelines, and advance the frontiers of healthcare innovation.

Prior to her tenure at WPI, Catherine held pivotal leadership roles, including Regional Vice-President, Regional Director, and Director of Strategic Solutions; overseeing business operations totaling over $50 million across a multi-state region from Maine to Pennsylvania.

Spearheading collaboration with international and domestic organizations, crafting bespoke workforce solutions, building diverse teams, formulating strategic business plans, and orchestrating successful sales & marketing campaigns; she consistently increased YOY operating income by 40%, GP increased by over 100% and CM increased over 100%.

Catherine’s fervent commitment to enhancing the quality of life for individuals grappling with serious illnesses and mobility challenges drives her constructive collaboration between academia and industry.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Catherine dedicates her free time to philanthropic pursuits, prominently volunteering with traumatized children, cherishing moments with her sons, and indulges her passion for the arts by frequently attending theatre, museums, and concerts.