Secondary Metabolite Production

Plant tissue culture technology extends beyond producing agricultural commodities. There is a growing market for the production of unique secondary metabolites extractable from specific plant tissues. At Tissue-Grown Corporation, I produced plant biomass in bioreactors as callus cultures, which were then supplied to customers in the pharmaceutical industry for the isolation of valuable compounds.

Molecular Pharming

By treating plant cells with specific hormones, they can be induced into an undifferentiated state. While these callus cultures lose the characteristic morphology we're accustomed to, their internal biochemistry often remains similar to that of the plants in their native form. Moreover, under the right conditions, these undifferentiated plant cells can grow rapidly, enabling the cost-effective production of unique molecules.

To enhance profitability in this pursuit, it is crucial to optimize both the growth rate of the callus cultures and the internal production levels of the compounds of interest. After developing suitable growth and elicitation protocols at a research scale, I needed to create novel methods to replicate these procedures in our 4.5L airlift bioreactors. The cells were then harvested and shipped to customers for their intended purposes.

Although this technology was not our primary focus, molecular pharming holds great promise as a method for producing novel chemical compounds. It has been documented for uses such as anti-cancer, anti-aging, and antiviral applications. These molecular pharming techniques are just one of many examples of how the relationship between humans, plants and science can enhance our lives.