Cambridge Healthtech Institute recently interviewed Dr. Rosanne Guijt of University of Tasmania about bioprocess monitoring and analytics. She will present on “Sequential Injection Capillary Electrophoresis for Bioprocess Monitoring” at the Inaugural Bioprocess Analytics conference, taking place January 12-13, 2017 as part of the 16th Annual PepTalk event which runs from January 9-13, 2017 in San Diego, CA.

(Attendees of the Optimizing Expression Platforms and Higher-Throughput Protein Production and Characterization conferences can join this same talk during a shared session on Friday, January 13.)

Q1: Can you tell us about your work at the University of Tasmania and the resources you have there?

The University of Tasmania hosts the Australian Centre for Research on Separation science, a world-leading center with as focus the development of new analytical methods and technologies. ACROSS Hobart is well equipped, with 4 benchtop instruments for Capillary Electrophoresis, 10 Liquid -Chromatography systems (IC, HPLC, uPLC, SEC, HPCCC), 2 Mass Spectrometers (QTOF and ion trap), and a microfabrication and microfluidics facility including 7 3D printers (stereolithography, polyjet, multi-material FDM), an optical profiler, and an inverted fluorescence microscope. This is complemented by 4 microchip CE systems and 8 sequential injection CE setups developed in-house. My research focus is on the development of portable and field deployable instrumentation that allows for on-site analysis.

Q2: Why have you focused on bioprocess monitoring in your research, and what are your research goals?

My research goal is to develop new analytical methodologies that allow for the collection of the chemical data fundamental to the understanding of bioprocesses. Biological processes are dynamic, making the temporal resolution at least as important as the chemical resolution the separation provides.

Q3: What are the biggest challenges you’re still facing with bioprocess analytics, and how might they be overcome?

In my opinion the biggest challenge is to obtain high-quality chemical data often and fast. Recent developments in liquid chromatography have demonstrated to provide the chemical resolution but in a laboratory setting that requires manual sampling and sample transport. Sensors to provide the speed and frequency of analysis, but lack the power of chemical specificity and diversity. To get the chemical data with high temporal and chemical resolution, new, automated analytical methods are required that provide the chemical resolution on site and with fast turnaround, making the interfacing with the bioreactor for sampling of critical importance.

Q4: What do you intend to get out of the programs at PepTalk 2017?

At PepTalk, I hope to be able to discuss with potential users of the technology from academic and industrial backgrounds to develop new applications and/or commercialize the presented system. I also expect to be exposed to analytical problems bioprocessing is currently facing, to continue to develop the next generation of analytical solutions.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY:

Rosanne Guijt, Ph.D., Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and Senior Lecturer, Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS), University of Tasmania

Dr. Rosanne Guijt completed her undergraduate degree in Biopharmaceutical Sciences at Leiden University, the Netherlands, and her Ph.D. degree from Delft University of Technology. She was awarded a fellowship from the Dutch Science and Technology Foundation STW to initiate Lab on a Chip research at the University of Tasmania (µTAS@UTAS). In Australia, she received a four-year postdoctoral fellowship from the Australian Research Council to work in the Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS). Her research strength is in the development of portable and field deployable analytical instrumentation, with applications in counterterrorism and environmental and bioprocess monitoring. She has also explored the use of 3D printing in microfluidics. In 2014, she received an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers. She has published 68 articles in peer-reviewed journals with an average impact factor over 4.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HER PRESENTATION AND PEPTALK, VISIT: CHI-PepTalk.com/Bioprocess-Analytics/