Biotechnology and Bioprocessing Laboratory

Dr. Brian Young has spent most of his career as a chemical engineer in the area of bioprocess engineering during his 24 years in the pharmaceutical, immunodiagnostic and vaccine industries.  As a graduate student in the department of chemical engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, he studied blood-material interactions with polymeric biomaterials for use in medical devices such as the artificial heart. There he also worked with professors from the school of medicine and pharmacy. During his 24 year career in industrial R and D, Dr. Young as a scientist or manager of scientists, has studied mammalian cell culture, bacterial fermentation and enzymatic biotransformation of both small molecules (chemicals and steroids) and large molecules (proteins, enzymes and vaccines), as well as their isolation and purification strategies and methodologies. Dr. Young’s areas of expertise are in many of the bioprocessing areas noted above as well as related areas. Opportunities to move into biomedical research will also be pursued as the medical engineering program advances. One program area that Dr. Young is currently focusing on is development of simple biosensors. Biosensor research, development and commercialization in medical diagnostics, food quality control, environmental monitoring and national defense are intense and are continuing to receive significant attention. In contrast to most work on-going in this area, Dr. Young’s aim is to develop a very low cost and simple immunodiagnostic assay platform technology that can be used throughout the world with the intent of ultimately transforming the current industry.