The Center for Biocatalysis & Bioprocessing (CBB) is housed within a multi-tenant building with nearby advanced research facilities such as the State Hygienic Laboratory, Integrated DNA Technologies, Physiology Research Laboratory, and Biomedical Research Support Facility. As part of the University of Iowa-Research Park, CBB has the capacity to offer a wide range of professional and research-based services such as gene cloning, clonal selection, state-of-the-art fermentation, downstream purification, bioprocessing, and other various instrumental methods to clientele both locally and internationally. All spaces within the CBB laboratory are temperature-controlled with multiple warm and cold rooms and up-to-date security systems and safety features. 

Upstream Bioprocessing

Our facility contains various shakers such as Innova multi-tier shakers and lab companion shakers for media optimization. Fermentation scale-up and scale-down can be performed with fermentors such as Biostat D100 DCU3, Biostat 75L, Biostat C30 DCU3, Biostat Cplus 30L, Biostat Cplus C20-2, and Biostat 10L, all fully equipped with the most commonly requested functions and features such as built-in peristaltic pumps and digital measurement and control system, including probes for temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen foam. 

For harvesting, we have several high-speed, high-capacity centrifuges that offer precise speed control and high reproducibility such as AS-26 Sharples, Disc Stack Alfa-Laval LAPX 404, Sorvall LYNX 6000, Beckman Optima L-70, and Beckman J2-MC, most of which have the capacity to protect sensitive samples and delicate gradients.

Downstream Bioprocessing

Intracellular products can be extracted using high-pressure laboratory microfluidizer processor for high-shear fluid processing such as M-110Y or M-210-EH microfluidizer that can maximize the energy-per-unit fluid volume, resulting in uniform submicron particle and droplet sizes while providing repeatable, uniform results with guaranteed scale-up to full production. A Fisher Scientific 550 Sonic Dismembrator provides another method to disrupt and rupture prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells during protein and nucleic acid purification protocols. 

A series of ÄKTA systems for chromatography including ÄKTApurifier 100, ÄKTAexplorer 100, ÄKTApilot 600, ÄKTA Avant 150, and ÄKTAprocess are available for various protein purification purposes at different scales. Temperature-controlled environment allows for small and large-scale chromatographic purifications of fermentation products, which are then characterized by various electrophoretic methods, bioassays, and HPLC. Multiple pilot-scale Pelicon Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF) systems, also known as cross-flow filtration, for ultrafiltration or microfiltration are available to handle large volumes, buffer exchange, and purification. 

Various spectrophotometers are available for in-process and quality control such as Shimadzu UV-2401, Mettler Toledo UV5Nano, and Bio-Rad SmartSpec Plus. A Bio-Rad GS900 densitometer is also available to reproducibly image gels, blots, and film and quantitate proteins across a wide dynamic range. Endosafe nexgen-PTS is used for routine monitoring of water systems and materials to ensure that processes do not contribute endotoxins to the final products.