Bioprocess Engineering Research Group

Research Area Coordinator: Gabriel Monteiro

Microorganisms are critical for the biosynthesis of biomolecules. By harnessing the efficient and versatile capabilities of microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast, a wide range of valuable compounds can be produced.  We harness the efficient and versatile capabilities of microorganisms such as bacteria (e.g. Escherichia coli, Lactococcus lactis and Vibrio natriegens) and yeast for the biosynthesis of nucleic acids (mRNA, plasmid DNA, minicircles, single stranded DNA), recombinant proteins including enzymes (DNA polymerases, DNA helicases, chitinases), antibody fragments and nanocages. Other research avenues include the development of microbial factories that may play a crucial role in advancing sustainable economic practices (e.g. bio cementation, biorefineries).

Research Area Coordinator: Ana Rita Silva Santos

One of the keys to increasing access to life-saving biopharmaceuticals (e.g. antibodies, recombinant proteins, nucleic acids) is to increase their affordability. We contribute to increase the efficiency of downstream processing, the costliest segment of biomanufacturing, by tackling process bottlenecks and investigating continuous manufacturing solutions. This encompasses the development of efficient and affordable solutions for 1. the purification of monoclonal antibodies, antibody fragments, proteins, single-stranded DNA, plasmids, and plasmid-based vectors (e.g. minicircles), and bacteriophages, 2. the optimization of the production of mRNA and of dsRNA by in vitro transcription, of ssDNA templates by asymmetric PCR or bacteriophages, and of protein nanocages by E. coli cells and 3. the biomanufacturing of new generations of DNA modifying enzymes. We also explore new materials, technologies, and designs to implement unit operations such as lysis, (e.g. oscillatory reactors), chromatography (e.g. 3D-printed monoliths) and membrane filtration (e.g. centrifugal filters).

Research Area Coordinator: Ana Margarida Azevedo

Long development timelines and inefficient operation modes are two important bottlenecks of biologically based manufacturing. We explore miniaturization of platform technologies, continuous biomanufacturing and digitalization. Miniaturization is directed to the definition of upstream/downstream operating conditions, whereas continuous biomanufacturing is researched to improve efficiency, reduce costs, enhance product quality, and provide real-time control. The digitalization of biomanufacturing processes is crucial for enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring precise quality control in the production of biopharmaceuticals and advanced therapy modalities. We specifically address the following research question “How to develop and incorporate a digitalization framework in the conceptual design, research and development of biomanufacturing processes?”.

Research Area Coordinator: Pedro Fonte

Encapsulation provides protection while enhancing functionality and bioavailability of small molecules and biomolecules. We study different types of nanocarriers, mainly polymer nanoparticles and lipid-based delivery systems as liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers to deliver drugs, biopharmaceuticals, and food ingredients. Our efforts are directed towards the chemical modification of nanoparticles, the application of innovative polymers, the development of nano-based pharmaceutical formulations to enhance structural stability of loaded drugs and the performance of nanocarriers, and the lyophilization of biopharmaceuticals. Examples of research lines pursued include encapsulation of insulin for wound healing, probiotic cells for cancer therapy and CRISPR/Cas9 constructs for genome editing, development of compositions for dsRNA delivery, and exploration of DNA-origami based delivery methodologies.