Australasian Biotechnology (backfiles) AusBiotech ISSN: 1036-7128 Vol. 11, Num. 2, 2001, pp. 25-26

Australasian Biotechnology, Vol. 11 No. 2, 2001, pp. 25-26

BIOPROCESSING

BIOPROCESSING SPECIAL FEATURE

Code Number: au01025

In this issue and in the following June and August issues, we will be featuring bioprocessing. Under this general theme, we will be emphasizing the entire process of product development which lies behind any bioprocess. We will be encouraging readers as they consume the papers we present in this and the coming issues to think of all the work presented as part of a product development chain.

What is bioprocessing - our definition

Bioprocessing is a very wide area. We will broadly divide it into: bioextraction, bioreaction, and downstream processing. Within bioextraction, one can, for example, look at the extraction of oligosaccharides from plants, the extraction of hormones from meat, and the extraction of proteins and peptides from milk whey. Bioreaction would include microbial fermentation processes, cell culture of animal, human, plant and insect cells, and biotransformations brought about by enzymes or consortia of enzymes. Downstream processing (DSP) will include the separation of product from the biological material, using for example, membrane filtration systems, centrifugation, chemical precipitation, critical point extraction, and solvent extraction systems. DSP also includes product purification, including industrial chromatography techniques. Included in this area, will be drying of product and its packaging and storage.

In 1986, he completed an MSc degree in Biochemistry at LaTrobe University with Professor Robert K. Scopes on the enzymology of sorbitol metabolism in Z. mobilis where he elucidated the pathway for sorbitol and gluconate production discovering a new enzyme, glucose-fructose oxidoreductase, responsible for sorbitol production. During the period 1986-1990 he joined the R&D department within the Pharmaceutical Division of CSL where he was responsible for the development of analytical and pilot-scale downstream processes for a range of products including bacterial toxins, antibodies and enzymes. In 1994 he completed his PhD in Biochemistry at Monash University with Professor Milton Hearn where he developed two new chelate adsorbents for use in protein purification and established a new mode of chromatography that does not involve histidine interactions during immobilized metal affinity chromatography of proteins. In 1994 he subsequently accepted an offer as Senior Scientist at Promega Corporation in Madison, WI to work in the Enzymes and Nucleic Acid group, the last two years as Technical Group Leader and a member of their Internal Scientific Advisory Board. Whilst there he was responsible for the development of several new processes for enzyme purification, mediated the transfer of several new products into manufacturing from the research group and investigated the feasibility of several new technologies for use by the manufacturing group including the use of biosensors and non-radioactive assay methods for detecting polymerase and nuclease activities. In 1997 he accepted an offer as Staff Scientist within Process Sciences in the Pharmaceutical Division at Bayer Corporation in Berkeley, CA. Whilst there he assisted in developing a process for the purification of recombinant FVIII and three other therapeutic compounds for clinical phase use. His work also resulted in a provisional patent being granted for developing a rapid method for determining product quality in fermentors without the need for purification as well as predicting downstream processing yields directly from fermentors. In November of 2000, he became the Project leader for the Fermentation and Bioprocessing group within the CSIRO Division of Molecular Science in Clayton, Victoria.

Call for Papers on all aspects of bioprocessing

To achieve our aims in this extended special feature in 2001, we are commissioning a number of papers, covering most of the above areas. In this April issue, we have two papers. One on biotransformations from the CSIRO research group at Clayton, Victoria; and the other from a New Zealand research group on protein extraction from whey .We are pleased to receive offers of further papers in the areas described in the previous paragraph. Each paper should not exceed more than 4 printed pages in total (approx 3000 words). The papers should be readable by all of our general audience, and should not assume a knowledge of bioprocessing. They should illustrate the process of product development using bioprocessing technologies.

Papers for the June issue will have to be in the hands of the Editors by 14 May, and for the August issue by 14 July. We are not able to promise acceptance of all papers received. However, we do promise to publish any good paper which does not overlap with others received already, but we may have to publish it in a later issue. Papers should be sent to the Senior Editor at ABA’s address on the masthead. Please call either Dr Martin Playne (tel 03 9598 9818) or the Co-Editor of this Special Feature, Dr Michael Zachariou (tel 03 9545 2321), before you start preparing your paper.

Lists of suppliers of bioprocessing equipment and materials

In addition to papers covering various aspects of bioprocessing, we will also be providing lists of suppliers of equipment (at lab, pilot and full-scale) for bioprocessing, including fermentors, bioreactors, cell culture, membrane filtration systems (microfiltration, UF and RO), centrifugation, magnetic separation, chromatographic systems, and indeed any other equipment and materials essential in bioprocessing. Our idea is to place the final compilation of this information on the ABA’s website for ongoing use by readers.

Questionnaire

We are including a questionnaire in this issue (page 32). If it applies to you, please complete and return it by fax or mail to reach us no later than 1 July. ABA’s Fax number is 03 9596 8874. The questionnaire aims to find out who in Australia has bioprocessing equipment which is available for use, for loan, for hire , or for contract work. This information will then be compiled and published in our August issue and later mounted on our website. All member representatives of biotechnology companies are invited to reply, as are bioprocessing departments of universities, CSIRO and other research organizations. Overseas companies and institutions may also respond if they think their facilities could be of use in the Australian context. We would like to make this list comprehensive, and of maximum value to Australian R&D and Australian industry. It will be particularly important to indicate if your facility is registered (eg GMP , recombinant DNA, NATA etc). Please help us with this database. All queries should be addressed to Dr Michael Zachariou (tel: 03 9545 2321).

Fermentation & Bioprocessing Interest Group (FBIG)

This group was originally part of activities in Victoria only. The Group has recently expanded its charter to include all aspects of bioprocessing throughout Australia. More about the interest group can be found on the ABA’s website (http://www.aba.asn.au).

Perspectives of Bioprocessing

We all have different views of what’s included in bioprocessing. To try to marry, or at least understand, these different views, we are inviting readers to submit for our June and August issues their views of Bioprocessing. Up to two pages will be permitted for each contribution. To start the ball rolling, your Co-Editors for this Special Feature, Martin Playne and Michael Zachariou present their perspectives in this issue. Your perspective should not exceed 1500 words, and should be submitted to the Editor.

Fermentation & Bioprocessing Websites and Email Discussion Groups

We plan to list a number of these in the next issue, and invite you to tell us of others, and we will pass that on to readers. Just email Martin Playne with the information (mplayne@netspace.net.au )

We hope you enjoy this issue. Please do not hesitate to contact one of us if you have more ideas for our coming issues.

Martin Playne & Michael Zachariou Special Feature Editors

Copyright 2001 - AusBiotech