Celebrating The Centre of Excellence in Bioprocessing’s First Cohort of PhD Graduates
The Centre of Excellence in Bioprocessing (CEB) is a three-university academic research partnership where scientists at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies collaborate on solving real-world current and future bioprocessing challenges with leading academic labs at the universities of Manchester, Edinburgh and York in the UK.
Through this collaboration, over 20 PhD students have worked with some of our scientists on mutually beneficial projects focusing on different areas of the biomanufacturing pipeline. The CEB enables our scientists to continually seek new knowledge about alternative and future technologies as well as help to train new scientists to push the boundaries of what is possible for bioprocessing. In 2024, the first group of students graduated from the program and received their PhDs.
We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with 2 out of the 4 newly graduated CEB scientists, Dr. Chloe Reihill and Dr. James Donaldson, to ask them about their time working on their PhDs with us since 2019.
During her studies, Dr. Reihill investigated improvements in the interpretation and data processing of UV spectrum data within our specialized end-to-end downstream purification platform, SymphonX™. Her project builds on technology that interprets high range optical density measurements into usable and real-time output, vastly improving the ability to gather precise data to enhance downstream processing and bridge a gap into continuous processing.
Dr. Donaldson led a study involving CHO cell line development to establish better systems for targeted integration into the host genome. His project adds to a collection of knowledge that can save time during stability testing for GMP run development. Hear from them both below.
Deep industrial collaboration through PhD training is a relatively new occurrence; how has working with FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies impacted your PhD and your future direction?
Dr. Reihill: The industrial collaboration with FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies was invaluable to me during my PhD. It gave me a window into the biopharmaceutical industry, and the opportunity to speak to industry experts about my research and what its impact could be on biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The collaboration also meant that I could spend time at the FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies UK site and get training on specialist equipment. My favorite experience there was when I got to spend a month in Billingham working in Process Development and seeing the famous SymphonXTM in action.
Dr. Donaldson: Working with FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies during my PhD definitely had a positive impact on both my personal development and my studies. I benefitted enormously from working alongside industry experts, and I was able to learn a lot about how research decisions are made from an industry perspective. From a research viewpoint, my lab work was aided by visits to site where I was able to make the most of the specialized equipment that is available. For example, in my final year of my PhD, I spent 3 months there doing a stability study on some of the CHO cell lines I had been studying.
Please can you share what made your project significant in your eyes?
Dr. Reihill: My project focused on developing the use of UV-Vis to monitor product quality during biopharmaceutical downstream processing. I loved that my project focused on meeting a real-world need. I think my project is significant because it can aid the achievement of end-to-end continuous manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals.
Dr. Donaldson: For me, the importance of my project is in its healthcare application, particularly because it could lead to patients getting access to new medicines more quickly. My project investigated a method that could help reduce cell line development timelines, by helping us to predict whether a CHO production cell line is likely to exhibit stable or unstable productivity. Such work could help us to uncouple the stability study from the critical path to manufacturing, thus reducing timelines.
What was one of your favorite memories during your PhD?
Dr. Reihill: One of my favorite memories was going to a conference held at University College London after the Covid lockdowns had ended. This was the first conference I’d gone to, and I remember being nervous about what it would be like. One of the postdoctoral researchers helped me go through my presentation on the train down from Manchester. After I had finished my talk, I was able to relax and speak to people, and realized how fun and interesting everyone was.
Dr. Donaldson: Going to Cancun, Mexico for the Cell Culture Engineering XVIII conference was 100% the highlight of my PhD! It was so great to meet lots of people in the same research field and learn about the global research from both an industry and academia point of view.
A PhD is a long journey. If you could ‘shout out’ a few people, who would they be and why?
Dr. Reihill: Starting at the University of Manchester, I’d like to shout out Peter Gardner, my Supervisor, for the opportunity to work in his lab and for his guidance over the years. I’d also love to thank my co-supervisors, Alan Dickson and Alex Henderson for their help and support. A big thank you to the Gardner Lab and Dickson Ducks. I’m sure I would have gone insane without you all. At FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, I’d firstly like to thank Charles Heise, Associate Director, for always being so excited about my project and for being so helpful. Additionally, I’d like to give a big thanks to Jennifer Tovey, Senior Principal Scientist, and Natalia Harasimiuk, Associate Director, for answering all my questions, and for being so patient while they tried to teach me how to use a pipette for the first time. A big thanks to the whole of FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies too. It was always such a friendly and helpful environment to come into when I came up to visit. Finally, I’d like to thank my family, friends and pet dogs for putting up with me.
Dr. Donaldson: Firstly, I’d like to shout out Susan Rosser, my PhD supervisor at the University of Edinburgh, for giving me the opportunity to undertake a PhD in her lab and for being there with advice and support when I needed it. Thank you also to everyone in the Rosser and Cachat lab! Whether it was troubleshooting the latest experiment problem, teaching me a new technique or singing along to the radio in the lab, I was so fortunate to share this journey with them! From FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, thank you to Alison Young, Associate Director, and Devika Kalsi, Senior Principal Scientist, for answering all my questions, helping with new experiment strategies and always being a source of encouragement. I also want to express my gratitude to everyone in the mammalian cell culture department at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies for their warm welcome during my placement and for making me feel like a part of the team. Finally, and most importantly I’d like to thank my family and my wife Tega, they have been so supportive throughout the PhD and have always been a source of unwavering encouragement.
What are your future plans?
Dr. Reihill: I loved working on my research project as it taught me to approach problem solving creatively and think critically. I especially enjoyed the data handling and analysis aspect of my PhD and have started as a data analyst at Lumina Intelligence – which I’m really loving!
Dr. Donaldson: I am starting a job at L.E.K. consulting where I will be working as a life sciences specialist.
The Centre of Excellence in Bioprocessing is a great example of a dynamic academic-industry partnership at the intersection of bioprocess innovation and people development. FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies is very proud to be part of this strong collaboration with the universities of Manchester, Edinburgh and York and look forward to a bright future.
If you want to hear more from the CEB and our CEB graduates, keep an eye on our LinkedIn page.
About FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies
FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, a subsidiary of FUJIFILM Corporation, is a world-leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for the development and manufacture of biologics, advanced therapies, and vaccines. The company operates a global network with major locations in the Unites States of America, the United Kingdom and Denmark, offering end-to-end services including drug substance, drug product, and finished goods services. It is also building a new manufacturing site in Holly Springs, North Carolina, USA, scheduled to be operational in 2025. FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies has over thirty years of experience in developing and manufacturing drug substance of recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, among other large molecules, viral products and medical countermeasures expressed in a wide array of microbial, mammalian, and host/virus systems. We have drug product filling capabilities to support both clinical and commercial demands. Our finished goods services, supported by more than 15 years of experience, can accommodate commercial products for more than 65 countries around the world. The company offers a comprehensive list of services from cell line development using its proprietary pAVEway™ microbial and Apollo™X cell line systems to process development, analytical development, clinical and FDA-approved commercial manufacturing.