FAQs
If you don’t find your question, contact us, and we will do our best to answer it.
Getting to know Testa Center
Whats in it for Cytiva?
Cytiva is a global provider of technologies and services that advance and accelerate the development and manufacture of therapeutics. Testa Center is the platform for Cytiva to listen, learn, collaborate and do training with academia and small-medium businesses.
In practical work this implies;
- Joining the ecosystem of cutting-edge research and startup innovation.
- Using Testa Center as testing ground for collaborations and projects.
- Learn startup culture by rotation of staff from the Biopharma company to Testa Center.
- Training and professional development of the life science workforce in general.
What resins are available
In general, separation resins are considered consumable, and the project needs to bring its own separation resin into Testa Center.Testa Center does however have a variety of columns (hardware) which are available to use by projects.
What is the mission?
Why did Cytiva and Vinnova invest in Testa Center as a private-public-partnership?
In 2016 both Cytiva and the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation where reviewing options for accelerating growth for innovative technologies in Bio-pharma. Both parties agreed in 2016 to strike a deal to lower the thresholds into the bio-production by making modern Bio-pharma infrastructure available to the world in a way that benefits academia, small and medium companies developing, testing and verifying bio-production products and technology.
Will you staff my project?
No. Testa Center is a DIY-facility.
If you need more hands in the lab, we suggest you use partners.
Get in contact with sales@testacenter.com to learn more about preferred resources available for your project.
Who can I contact for more details?
See the contact-page. Or learn more about the staff and who to talk to.
What is the legal status for the immaterial property and the results that I generate?
What you generate in Testa Center is yours and yours only.
Testa Center provides its services with no strings attached.
We do not apply contractual rights like “Right of first refusal” or similar and you may perform your project under strict confidentiality.
Is Testa Center open for everyone?
Yes, Testa Center is an open research facility/test bed. That said, we have a 3rd party project review board and a due diligence process that must be successful before a project can enter a Testa Center lab.
For your information, we cannot accept any projects using radioactive compounds, ex-classed processes or projects with need of a BSL3 or BSL4 controlled environment.
We accept international and global academia, start-up, small-medium-businesses and industries*.
*Laws for international business and trade are applied.
What kind of support can I expect prior to entering Testa Center?
Prior to entering Testa Center there will be a feasibility review, a project plan review and a boarding-protocol.
What is included and not in the access fee and Testa Center´s offering?
Access fee includes access to a bio-processing lab including equipment, an office space and shared infrastructure such as lunch room, restrooms, printers and Wi-Fi internet.
The Testa Center default offering includes a pay-as-you-go & as-a-service model for usage of labs and equipment. The Testa Center staff will provide you with help to get your project started.
Consumables, chemicals and resources to your project are not in the offering.
What is the price of doing a project in Testa Center?
Exact price for your project can only be answered by the Testa Center sales representative sales@testacenter.com.
We use a pay-as-you-go and as-a-service-model where you pay only for the time you spend in the labs and what equipment you use.
Can we come for a study-visit?
We would love to have you here for a study-visit! We have about 2000 visitors per year!
We arrange tour for groups up to 20 people per tour. One tour is usually 30-90 minutes. We need the names of the participants two business days before the tour. The tour is free. The tour does not include food or transportation. Apply on our site today!
What bio-processing equipment is accessible in Testa Center?
Upstream bio-processing capability from small scale (mL culture volumes) to pilot scale (500 L culture volumes for mammalian cells & 50 L culture volumes for microbial).
For harvest we have batch centrifugation (12 L) and filtration capabilities in pilot scale.
Chromatography capabilities ranges from lab scale to full production scales.
For a more comprehensive list of equipment please see our Instrument List.
How do I get to Testa Center?
The closest airport is Arlanda (ARN) International Airport. (40 mins taxi-ride toTesta Center).
The closest railway station is Uppsala Central Station. (20 mins walk toTesta Center).
The closest bus stop is Uppsala Björkgatan södra. (5 min walk to Testa Center).
Car parking is found at Cytiva, Björkgatan 30, Uppsala. (2 mins walk to Testa Center).
Where is Testa Center located?
Visitors enter via the Cytiva’s site Reception at Björkgatan 30, Uppsala, Sweden.
GPS position for the Testa Center facility is 59.854292, 17.669311.
Are you trying to find out how to get to Testa Center?
What standard equipment does the labs and offices have?
Labs includes
Smaller standard lab utilities are available, e.g., LAF benches, pH meters, conductivity meters, floor centrifuges, lab bench centrifuges, scales, pumps, welders, spectrophotometer, autoclaves, UPS, fridge, freezer, heating block, water bath, pipettes and general glass ware.
See the full Instrument list of Testa Center.
Media in the labs include:
O2, N2, CO2
Purified Water (RO/EDI)
Tap water (KVMJ)
Pressured air
220 V 50Hz EU-plug compatible Schuko Type C/F outlets IEC 60309 electricity outlets.
Office with access to a printer, wifi, a common space, and a conference room.
Planning a project
Testa Center is on Cytiva premises, how do I get access?
On the first day of your arrival, you will get a training and an access card giving you access to Testa Center and your designated lab.
How should I ship my cemicals, consumables and equipment to Testa Center?
At your convenience, by courier or if you prefer to handle the shipment yourself.
Can I move, extend or shorten my project time-slot?
Depending on the booking status of the labs, i.e., if we do not have another client coming in directly after you, the project duration can be extended.
In general, Testa Center want to be as forthcoming and flexible as possible to accommodate all needs.
What do I need in my project-plan?
To get a running start when entering Testa Center a time projected and detailed project plan including process parameters, chemicals, consumables and resources is strongly recommended.
What does the application process look like?
The application consists of about ten general questions about you project, team and purpose E.g. What is the purpose of your Testa Center?
The answers will be reviewed to asses the feasibility of your project.
How do I know if there is a slot for my project open in Testa Center?
Send the question to sales@testacenter.com and they will help you to match your project time-line with lab, equipment and staff availability.
Where do I live during my stay?
There are several short and long-stay hotels and hostels in Uppsala.
Get in contact with sales@testacenter.com to learn more about discounted partner hotels close to Testa Center.
Can I bring my own equipment?
Yes!
Please discuss with Testa Center staff so that the Testa Center facility has the required media and electrical sockets for your instrument.
Shipping address is Cytiva Testa Center AB, Danmarksgatan 41, Post&Gods M2A, SE-75323 Uppsala, Sweden.
Make sure to label the package with “Testa Center, L8”.
Do you help me to run a bioreactor or similar equipment?
All project receive help in getting started.
If you need consultancy and hands-on-the-lab, then get in touch with sales@testacenter.com
How short or long can I stay in Testa Center?
Shortest amount of lab time available is one week.
A review needs to take place for any project who are willing to stay more than six months.
Can I be confidential with my work?
Yes. It is possible to stay confidential in Testa Center.
To guarantee safety the Testa Center director must, under a signed one-way NDA, know basic things about your work in the Testa Center labs.
A signed NDA also includes confidentiality in potential conversations with the Testa Center staff.
What am I not allowed to do in the labs?
Projects in need of Bio Safety Level (BLS) 3 or 4 are not allowed in Testa Center. We do not have labs where radioactive compounds or EX-classed processes can be handled.
Do the labs have a clean room level?
No, sorry!
Do you have bio-safety labs?
Bio Safety Level 1 is available.
A sub-population of Bio Safety Level 2 (BSL2) is being commissioned.
What proccesses can I run in Testa Center?
Testa Center has capabilities for a both microbial and mammalian processes from start to finish, i.e., from frozen cell bank vial to purified protein.
How do I know that the scope of my project fit in Testa Center?
Contact sales@testacenter.com to get a first-hand support in scooping what can be done and what cannot.
How do I know that my project fit in Testa Center?
Contact sales@testacenter.com to get a first-hand support in scooping what can be done and what cannot.
Starting a project
Things we need have not yet arrived?
Let us see if we can reschedule your project time.
Running a project
Can we stay and do lab work in Testa Center regular working hours?
Yes! But, please tell the staff as you need information about your responsibilities when staying late or over-night.
Finishing a project
What am I expected to clean, ship or recycle?
We will give you instructions on what is expected from you and how to go about cleaning, shipping and recycling stuff.
