Biochemical
Engineering/Bioprocessing/Biotechnology and
Environmental Engineering.
1.0 Biochemical
Engineering/Biotechnology/BIOPROCESSING
1.1
Novel Fluidized
Bioreactor Systems
· Mixing, heat and mass transfer in novel fluidized bioreactors and slurry column bioreactors
· Applications to fermentation and waste water treatment processes
1.2
Free and Immobilized
Yeast Fermentation
· Alcohol(ethanol) fermentation from corn and other renewable materials, i.e. lignocellulosic materials. Use of free and immobilized yeast cells in fluidized bioreactors.
· Enzymatic and acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials to sugars
· Beer fermentation using free and immobilized yeast cells
1.3
Production of
Bio-products from renewable raw materials via Fermentation
· Lactic acid from corn using lactic acid producing microorganisms
· Citric acid from corn using citric acid producing microorganisms
1.4
Biopharmaceutical
Products via Fermentation
· Cyclosporin A from fungus Tolypocladium inflatum
· Cyclosporin A is an immunosuppressant drug used by organ transplant patients to prevent immune rejection of transplanted organs, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, etc.
1.5
Biological Hydrogen
Production for Fuel Cells Applications
· Use of different bacteria to convert sugars into Hydrogen gas in fluidized bioreactors
1.6
Mammalian Cell Culture
in Membrane Immobilized Bioreactor Systems
· New hybridonia cell line developed and produced monoclonal antibodies to detect the bioinsecticide protein, delta-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis
1.7
Bioinsecticides from Bacillus thuringiensis
via Fermentation
· Novel bioprocess to produce bioinsecticides which are non-toxic, biodegradable and environmentally friendly
· Bioinsecticides may replace toxic chemical insecticides which pollute our environment
· Applications of bioinsecticides: kill larvae of insect pests for many agricultural crops and forest, larvae of mosquito and black flies that cause many diseases
1.8
Supercritical Carbon
Dioxide Extraction of High Value Pharmaceutical Products
· Developed a novel process for the selective extraction of the immunosuppressant drug Cyclosporin A from the fungus Tolypocladium inflatum and anticancer drug Taxol from Taxus brevifolia
· This extraction process in environmentally friendly and may replace the use of toxic solvents
1.9
Biopolymer Production via Fermentation
· Polyglutamic acid biopolymer for medicinal applications, such as, delivery of cancer drug Taxol
1.10
Biopharmaceuticals
extraction and purification from transgenic plants
1.11
Development of Novel Bioseparation Systems
· Protein separation using ion-exchange resins in fluidized bioreactor systems
· Controlled release of biopharmaceuticals from biodegradable biopolymers
1.12
Optical Fiber Biosensors Using Monoclonal Antibodies
·
Use immunofluorescence
of immobilized antibodies to measure concentration of different biomolecules in biological fluids (blood, saliva, urine)
2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
2.1
Biosorption of Heavy Toxic Metals from Waste Waters
· Removal of Cu, Pb, Zn, Hg, Cd, Al from wastewater using dead yeast cells and calcium alginate gels.
2.2
Biological Treatment of
Petroleum Contaminated Waste Waters
· Biodegradation of diesel fuel in contaminated water using immobilized soil bacteria
2.3 Bioleaching of Gold Ores
· Bioleaching of pyrite gold ores using the bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans
2.4 Aerobic and Anaerobic
wastewater treatment using activated sludge process