On February 15th 2018 from 15:00 to 17:30, the Portabolomics group is having a Mini-Symposium hosting Dr Cintia Romero (Proimi Biotecnologia, Tucuman, Argentina) and Dr Davide de Lucrezia (Doulix- Double Helix Technologies, Venice, Italy) here at Newcastle University (Room 5.05, Daysh Building). 

Dr Romero will give a talk with the title 'Biotechnological platform based on microbiological biodiversity for industrial applications’.

The Pilot Plant of Microbiological and Industrial Processes (PROIMI) is a government research institute that develops a biotechnology innovation program for apply to industrial processes. The mission of the PROIMI group is to carry out groundbreaking research for industrial application based on the microbiological biodiversity and bioprospecting.

We study novel microorganisms from  extremophile, native and pristine environments. We are looking for new genetic systems and their application in bioremediation, bioconversion-bioproducts and biological pest control.

We seek to create innovative solutions to problems arising in industrial processes related to biorefinery, agriculture process, health care and bioremediation processes to counterbalance ecosystems decline.

To accomplish its mission, the PROIMI group has interdisciplinary expertise in microbiology, molecular biology, bioengineering (fermentation and scaling processes) and recently in nanotechnology.

Dr de Lucrezia will give a talk with the title 'Empowering computer-aided biological design by using in vivo characterized Standard Biological Parts'

The SB has already revolutionized production paradigms in many different fields. These remarkable achievements have largely been ‘one-offs’ since each one is a special case and though they must be regarded as milestones in the respective field they do not provide a comprehensive and coherent engineering framework. We advocate that the main barriers that prevent SB full exploitation are: i) lack of biochemical characterization of biological parts and ii) lack of a multi-scale modeling platform. We will present the latest results of our ongoing efforts to develop a comprehensive and highly integrated toolkit based on i) comprehensive in vivo characterization of BioBricks and ii) development of a computer aided design tools (CAD).

Biography

Davide De Lucrezia is currently the Managing Director of DOULIX, a business-unit of Explora Biotech Srl, and adjunct professor in Bio-nanomaterial at University Ca Foscari Venezia. Until 2012 he served as operative coordinator of the LivingTech Lab at the European Centre for Living Technology (Venice, Italy). He graduated in 2004 in Biology at the University of Rome “Roma Tre” and pursued a PhD degree in biochemistry in 2009. Prior joining ECLT he has been head of the pharmacokinetics and metabolomics unit at San Raffaele Hospital in Rome. In 2001-2003 he was staff scientist at Polyphor AG (Switzerland), and research technician at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Zurich. He wrote several papers published in international peer-reviewed journals and books for both specialized and general audience and is the inventor of 1 patent. He has been involved in several European and international projects both as coordinator (THEGRAIL and NEXT projects) and WP leader (MAGISTER, ETOILE, AMCARE, DRIVE, LIAR and TOPCAPI). He also leverages his competences in IP strategic management for private investor and biotech companies at both national, European (EPO) and International (PCT)

Company presentation

Double Helix Technologies (DOULIX™) is a trademark and a business unit of EXPLORA BIOTECH Srl dedicated to unlock the full potential of forward biological engineering.