Researcher Summary
My current research is focussed in the development of industrial processes for the production of large-scale, high cell density cultures of bacteria and fungi for their use as biological control agents or for their valuable secondary metabolites. An important part of this research is in understanding and manipulating the variables that play a key role in the production process, the relationships between them and how these influence on the whole process. Examples of these variables are: strain selection, culture medium development, optimisation of the fermentation conditions, bioreactor selection, design and operation, fermentation strategy, bioprocess stoichiometry and bioprocess design.
I have also strong interest in animal cell culture area, and particularly with shear-sensitive cells as fish and insect cells for its use in human therapeutics, veterinary and agriculture. I possess a large experience with the system baculovirus-insect cell for industrial production of both recombinant proteins and baculovirus as bioinsecticidas using airlift reactors.
At present, I am in the process of building a scientific program involving algae and cell plant culture to meet industry demands and environmental requirements, having already collaborative research on hairy root culture for the production of secondary metabolites.