Current Research Activities in Bioseparation in Korea

초록

Biotechnology in the 21st century is often called the 3rd industrial revolution in the history of human civilizations, emphasizing technological novelty and diversity along with environmental fitness. Pharmaceuticals, among the main products of bioindustries, need to be very pure especially when they are for human use. The purification process for some pharmaceutical products comprises 70-90% of the total production cost. In this sense, efficient recovery and purification technologies are considered to be imperative to assure the economical production of most biological products. The largest share of the biotech markets will belong to companies and nations which procure efficient separation and purification technologies, when many superdrugs, such as anticancer drugs, which led the early bioindustries, become generic recombinants items in upcoming after their patents expire. At the same time, in the era of proteomics, or functional genomics, following the successful Human Genome Project, High Throughput Screening technologies based upon the Micro Total Analysis System will expedite the development of valuable protein-associated bioproducts. Recently, the Center for Advanced Bioseparation Technology was established as ERC, with support from KOSEF. Some of the research projects in the area of bioseparation, carried out in the Center are as follows. 1. Novel bioseparation technologies based upon molecular genetics - One-step separation technology to purify proteins and peptides - Heavy metal recovery by improving metal-binding proteins using directed evolution - In vitro solid-state refolding technology for the purification of inclusion bodies 2. Separation technologies for proteomics analysis - High throughput screening technology using a protein chip - Proteomics analysis for the purification of human proteins and bioactive peptides 3. Separation technologies using biomolecular recognition - Bioactive materials separation using MIP membrane -