Towards a process model for continuous biocatalytic processes
Abstract: Continuous processes, while common in the chemical industry, are only now been considered as viable process option in the pharmaceutical industry. Such continuous processes offer more consistent product quality, faster response time in case of quick ramp-up of product-ion, and opportunities for process intensification. However, for optimum performance or even for stable operation a detailed comprehensive model of the overall process is required. Stable, model-assisted continuous operation requires models of the kinetics, of the state of biocatalysts and whole cells, of the reactor, and of any associated rate processes, such as crystallization.
Two cases of our model developments will be presented, focusing on the kinetics of enzyme variants and on biocatalyst deactivation, both of which provided fresh insights far beyond running a continuous process.
Biography: Andreas (Andy) S. Bommarius is a professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering as well of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA. He received his diploma in Chemistry in 1984 at the Technical University of Munich, Germany and his Chemical Engineering B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 1982 and 1989 at MIT, Cambridge, MA.
From 1990-2000, he led the Laboratory of Enzyme Catalysis at Degussa (now Evonik) in Wolfgang, Germany, where his work ranged from immobilizing homogenous catalysts in membrane reactors to large-scale cofactor-regenerated redox reactions to pharma intermediates.
At Georgia Tech since 2000, his research interests cover green chemistry and biomolecular engineering, specifically biocatalyst development and protein stability studies. His lab applies data-driven protein engineering to improve protein properties on catalysts ranging from ene and nitro reductases to cellobiohydrolases.