Research Expertise
Biotechnology
The following highlights our research expertise in this area:
Antibody and Gene
Probe Diagnostics:
Development of rapid high sensitivity systems.
Biochemical Engineering:
Fermentation technology, bioreactor and membrane technology; environmental
biotechnology.
Bioprocessing:
Fermentation technology; yeasts; application of cells and enzymes.
Bioreactors:
Enzymatic synthesis in low water environments with water control; packed-bed
hollow fibre reactors; twin-core packed bed reactors; air bleed evacuated
headspace reactors; two-phase membrane bioreactors; packed bed hollow fibre
reactors for enzymatic hydrolysis of esters and triglycerides; pulsed packed
bed reactors.
Bioremediation:
Landfill microbiology and pesticide treatment; bioremediation of contaminated
soils.
Biotransformations:
Studies on the manufacture of industrial products using all types of biological
catalysts whether enzymes or whole cells; clean technologies; biocatalysis
in organic media; enzymes in aqueous solution; bioreactors and microbial
physiology.
Combating Pathogenic
Bacteria:
Use of bacteriophages to prevent bacterial infections.
Electronic Pasteurisation
and Sterilisation:
Food and food surface decontamination; surface and equipment disinfection;
non-thermal pasteurisation of liquids; waste / effluent treatment; air quality
control.
Fermentation Technology:
Investigations in yeast, bacteria and filamentous fungi; process modelling;
on-line control; microbial physiology; mass and momentum transfer; scale-up
and scale-down of fermentation processes.
Flavour/Sensory
Research:
Studies on flavour and consumer perceptions; development of novel predictors
of flavour from compositional data; novel taste panel procedures; statistical
modelling of flavours.
Food Biochemistry:
Biochemistry of starch and associated lipids in cereals; enzymology of malting
and mashing during whisky process; use of yeast in the food and beverage
industry; production and use of enzymes in food processing.
Food Marketing:
Competitiveness in food supply chains; supply chain marketing and customer
requirements; consumer food preferences and choice; the relationship between
marketing, innovation and competitiveness in the UK food supply chain.
Food Microbiology:
Methods for detecting organisms in milk powders; survival of campylobacter
jejuni in foods and on surfaces in domestic environments; detecting foodborne
microorganisms; microbial aspects of enteral feeding; sources and routes
of contamination of enteral feeds.
Food and Hygiene
Safety:
Bacterial contamination of enteral feed and cross contamination in food
preparation areas; oxygen leak detection in food packaging.
High Pressure Food
Processing:
High pressure bioprocessing of liquid and solid foodstuffs; effects on food
quality.
Membrane Technology:
Membrane production; performance and application development; liquid effluent
treatment; membranes for use in artificial liver systems; fabrication and
characterisation of membranes.
Polyclonal and Monoclonal
Antibodies:
Development of immunodiagnostics for use in food science.
Waste Technology/Environmental
Biotechnology:
Degradation of chlorinated methanes; nitrate and phosphate removal from
liquid wastes; packed and fluidised bed bioreactors; dewatering of ensiled
fish waste; industrial effluent treatment using bacteria.
Vaccines:
Novel vaccine adjuvant development; delivery systems; characterisation
and cloning of surface and secreted antigens for incorporation into vaccines
reliant on novel carrier systems; anti-tumour vaccines.
Departments and Specialist Centres:
These areas of research
expertise represent the activities of a number of University departments
and specialist centres including:
Bioscience
Chemical
and Process Engineering
Immunology
Marketing
Pure
and Applied Chemistry
Civil
Engineering
Institute
for Energy and Environment
Centre
for Biophotonic
