Biologicial Process Development Facility:

Molecular Biology Laboratory:

Molecular Biology Laboratory was established to provide the BPDF with capabilities to research, develop, and optimize recombinant expression systems to produce recombinant proteins. The MBL specializes in the Pichia pastoris, a eukaryotic expression system that has been successfully used to express a large variety of recombinant proteins. The MBL has also worked with Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells as well. The MBL is equipped/capable of doing real-time PCR, Q-PCR construction of expression vector, plasmid transformation (electroporation or chemical transformation), screening and selection of production clone, Northern, Southern and Western Analysis, and electric mobility shift assay. The MBL provides the following services; Expression vector construction and sequence confirmation Transformation into expression systems and high-throughput screening of clones Optimization of culture conditions for expression at the shake flask level Cell bank production and characterization.

Capabilities:

Protein expression services:

Research:

Regulation of the P. pastoris AOX Research area mainly focused on physiology and molecular biology of methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris. P. pastoris is utilized as a system for the production of heterologous proteins (e.g., vaccines, peptide hormones, and industrial enzymes). We are interested in the regulatory sequences of the AOX1 promoter and proteins that up and down regulates the promoter. The goal is to affect its regulation, making it weaker or stronger as needed.