Wei Wen
Winston Su
Professor
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Department
of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering (MBBE) 1955
East-West Road, Ag. Science 218 Honolulu,
Hawaii 96822, U.S.A.
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Two
Postdoc Openings
Areas of
interest
biochemical
engineering, biosensor, plant biotechnology, molecular biotechnology
Degrees
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering,
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 1991
M.S. Chemical
Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 1987
B.S. Chemical
Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, 1985
Current
research
We are interested in solving real-world
problems using a combination of biological and engineering tools. Current
research thrusts center on three main areas: plant molecular farming, sensor proteins, and magnetic separation.
Plant molecular farming: biotechnology and
bioengineering
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We have
developed an innovative research program that integrates plant tissue
culture, bioreactor engineering, and molecular biology to probe and enhance
recombinant protein production by cultured plant cells and plants
cultured in hydroponic systems. Using genetic fusion with the green
fluorescent protein (GFP), we have been studying online real-time monitoring
and dynamic optimization of recombinant protein expression in transgenic
plant cell cultures. We have incorporated state-of-the-art optical sensing
with advanced state-identification techniques to enable accurate real-time
noninvasive sensing of culture GFP fluorescence. Research is also being done
in our group to develop novel perfusion bioreactors for culture plant cells
to high cell densities, and to develop general strategies suited for
purifying GFP-tagged fusion proteins from cultured plant cells. We are also
investigating novel molecular biology and metabolic strategies to increase
recombinant protein production in plants and plant cell cultures.
Furthermore, we have embarked on a study to produce more robust plant cells
for mass culture, using metabolic engineering. In another research endeavor,
we have been investigating coordinated expression of multiple proteins using
polyprotein systems in an easily scalable hydroponic bioreactor. |
Sensor proteins
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Our overall interest in this area is to develop
novel protein reagents to enable efficient homogeneous assays for fast,
robust and accurate clinical and field detection of disease associated
biomarker molecules and/or organisms. Based on our newly patented design
concept (US
patent# 7247443), we have created a series of synthetic fluorescent
proteins through genetic and chemical manipulations that allow direct
detection of target compounds in solution, in a rapid single-step “mix and
test” assay process, using standard fluorometers.
The modular nature of these FRET-based sensor protein
design provides a molecular platform that can be conveniently modified
for detecting different protein binding events. The fluorescent sensor
technology is potentially suited for a broad range of applications in disease
diagnosis and drug screening, as well as in basic research of protein-protein
interactions. Our lab is currently working with BioXene, a Honolulu-based biotech firm, to
pursue joint commercial development of the technology. This research was
featured on the front page of Honolulu Advertiser on |
Magnetic cell separation
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As a part of a USDA-NRI supported project
to develop an integrated strategy for efficient detection of plant pathogens,
we are currently investigating the use of magnetic separation to process a continuous
flow of liquid samples for concentrating potential pathogenic targets. While
magnetically stabilized fluidized beds (MSFB) have been used in the past, we
have developed an innovative magnetic separator that provides enhanced mass
transfer without compromising the magnetic stabilization property, when
compared with the conventional MSFB system. Inexpensive micron-sized magnetic
beads are fabricated and used to capture target organisms, which are then
conveniently detected in-situ using a highly sensitive immuno-detection technique with minimum sample
processing. Computer simulations of the novel magnetic separator using Femlab provide a basis for further optimization of the
system. A postdoc position is currently available to study the
hydrodynamics and mass transfer in the novel magnetic separator. |
Selected
Publications
Vardar-Schara, G., Krab,
I.M., Yi, G., Su, W.W. 2007. A homogeneous fluorometric
assay platform based on novel synthetic proteins. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 361,
102-108.
Peckham, G. D., Bugos, R.C., Su, W.W. 2006. Purification
of GFP fusion proteins from transgenic plant cell cultures. Protein Expr. Purif. 49, 183-189.
Su, W.W. 2006. Bioreactor
engineering for recombinant protein production using plant cell suspension
culture. In: Dutta Gupta, S. and
Su, W.W. and Lee, K.T. 2006. Plant
cell and hairy-root cultures – process characteristics, products, and
applications. In: Yang, S.T. (ed.) Bioprocessing
for Value-Added Products from Renewable Resources: New Technologies and
Applications,
Su,
W.W., Liu, B., Lu, W.B., Xu, N.S., Du, G.C., Tan, J.L. 2005. Observer-based
online compensation of inner filter effect in monitoring fluorescence of
GFP-expressing plant cell cultures. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 91(2), 213-226.
Su,
W.W. 2005. Fluorescent proteins as tools to aid protein production. Microbial
Cell Factories 4, 12.
Wang, M.L.,
Goldstein, C., Su, W.W.,
Moore, P.H., Albert, H.H. 2005. Production of biologically active GM-CSF in
sugarcane: a secure biofactory. Transgenic Research 14, 167-178.
Parambam,
R.I., Bugos, R., Su, W.W.
2004. Engineering green fluorescent protein as a dual functional tag.
Biotechnol. Bioeng. 86(6), 687-97.
Su,
W.W., Guan, P.Z., Bugos, R. 2004. High level of secretion of functional green
fluorescent protein from transgenic tobacco cell cultures: characterization and
sensing. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 85(6), 610-9.
Su,
W.W., Li, J., Xu, N.S. 2003. State and parameter estimation of microalgal
photobioreactor cultures based on local irradiance measurement. J. Biotechnol.
105(1,2), 165-178.
Su,
W.W., Arias, R. 2003. Continuous plant cell perfusion culture: bioreactor
characterization and secreted enzyme production. J. Biosci.
Bioeng. 95 (1), 13-20.
Li, J., Xu, N.S., Su, W.W.
2003. Online
estimation of stirred-tank microalgal photobioreactor cultures based on
dissolved oxygen measurement. Biochem. Eng. J. 14 (1), 51-65.
Zhang, J.N., Su,
W.W. 2002. Estimation of intracellular phosphate content in plant cell
cultures using extended Kalman filter. Journal of Bioscience &
Bioengineering. 94 (1), 8-14.
Liu, S.,
Bugos, R., Dharmasiri, N., Su, W.W. 2001. Green fluorescent protein as a
secretory reporter and a tool for process optimization in transgenic plant cell
cultures. J. Biotechnol. 87 (1), 1-16.
Shi, H.D., Su,
W.W. 2001. Display of green fluorescent protein on the Escherichia coli
cell surface. Enzyme & Microbial Technol. 28, 25-34.
Su, W.W. 2000. Perfusion
bioreactors. In: Spier, R.E. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Cell Technology, Vol. 1,
Wiley New York. pp. 230-242.
Patents
Su, W.W. 2007. Sensor constructs and detection methods. US patent
7247443, issued on
Chang, S., Christopher, D., Vine, B., Su, W.W., Bugos, R. 2006. Plasmodium falciparum
merozoite surface protein-1 malaria vaccine produced
in transgenic plants. US Patent 7037681,
issued
Su, W.W. 1994. External-loop perfusion
air-lift bioreactor. US Patent 5342781, issued on
Instruction
BE 360 Mass and Energy Balances
BE 460 Bioreactor Design and Analysis
BE 660 Bioseparation Processes
MBBE 610 Molecular Biosciences Seminar