SITE VISIT TO BIOREACTOR FACILITIES IN UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA

BESIG Malaysia Chapter (BESIG MYC) successfully organized a site visit to Universiti Sains Malaysia’s bioreactor facilities on 30 September 2022. Approximately 30 participants from both university and industry joined this site visit. This site visit aimed to expose the participants to the state-of-the-art research and analytical facilities dedicated to bioprocessing, which are located in Analytical Biochemistry Research Centre (ABrC). Aside from offering contract services in upstream bioprocessing, ABrC provides analytical services such as protein and peptide sequence identification, natural product prediction, toxicity study. The event was officiated by Assoc. Prof. ChM. Dr. Gan Chee Yuen, deputy director of ABrC, with a brief welcome speech and introduction to the research centre. Prior to the facilities tour, Dr. Tan Joo Shun, who is the laboratory manager of ABrC, presented a case study on the commercialization and manufacturing bioproducts using lactic acid bacteria. During the visit, the participants were exposed to the demonstration of several pilot-scale equipment including a 750-L bioreactor, centrifuge, and cake filter. Dr. Tan Joo Shun also emphasized the importance of process control and monitoring, as well as maintaining good hygiene at the workplace. Mr. Tan Yong Yi, one of the participants in this site visit, said: "This site visit has benefited me in understanding the development of good process control and design based on the P&IDs and the arrangement of the equipment. Overall, I am grateful to have had this field trip to get myself exposed to practical things that are relevant to my future study."