The following courses will take place in parallel on Monday 22nd September at the Hilton Hotel:
(1) Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging for quality assessment of tablets, powders and lyophilized products – Organised by Indatech
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a popularly applied Process Analytical Technology (PAT) tool, due its non-invasive and non-destructive nature, high versatility and reliability, as well as its broad applicability and cost-effectiveness. By adding spatial information, near-infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI) adds value to benchtop NIR analysis, allowing to visualize the distribution of chemical components across the surface or volume of a sample. In the meantime, the fast acquisition speeds may transform the technology into an attractive tool for high-throughput in-line applications. In this course, the basics of NIRS and NIR-CI will be briefly tackled, before digging into more detail in the instrumentation, (dis)advantages and applications of the technology. Case studies from the pharmaceutical industry will be presented and discussed in detail, both on an R&D and an industrial manufacturing level.
(2) Non-linear Machine Learning for Calibration and Classification – Organised by Eigenvector
While linear machine learning methods, such as PLS regression, work in a very wide range of problems of chemical and biological interest, there are times when the relationships between variables are complex and require non-linear modeling methods. Many non-linear machine learning methods have been developed, however, we will focus on a few that we have found quite useful. The course begins with a discussion of linearizing transforms. Augmenting with non-linear transforms, e.g. polynomials, is discussed next. Locally Weighted Regression (LWR), Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs, including Deep-learning Networks) and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) are then considered, with SVMS for both regression and classification considered. Boosted regression and classification trees (XGBoost) and then covered. The course concludes with segments on how to choose a method and how to implement models online. The course includes hands-on computer time for participants to work example problems using PLS_Toolbox or Solo.
(3) Fundamentals of NIR PAT in Solid Dosage Pharmaceutical Manufacturing – Organised by Sentronic
This course seeks to provide attendees with an introduction to the theory and practice of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy applied to the analysis of solid samples in the pharmaceutical industry. The course will provide an overview of the fundamentals of NIR spectroscopy, discuss the challenges associated with analyzing and appropriately sampling streams of moving powders, provide an overview of common spectrometer and probe hardware used in the process environment, and introduce some common multivariate statistical methods used to extract process information from NIR spectra.
Details of the topics covered in each course will be available soon. Fees are £300 for those attending the APACT conference and £500 for those attending a course only.