Main research achievements

The publication list contains 140 original publications in peer-reviewed journals, most of them in the following main areas:

·1980th: Physiological effects of CO₂. It was shown that CO2 and anaestetic gases inhibit the germination of Bacillus spores. This formed the basis for a hypothesis that the antimicrobial effect of CO₂ , which is used in food preservation, is due to interference with membrane fluidity. The susceptibility of several food spoilage microorganisms was studied. 9 original papers.

·1980-90ths: Enzyme electrodes were developed for on-line glucose and penicillin monitoring in bioreactors. 12 original publications. Two patents (oxygen stabilised glucose electrode, and in situ sterilizable penicillin electrode) were granted and sold.

·1990ths- Production of recombinant proteins, with emphasis on the proteolysis problem and process control. More than 30 original papers. Patent application on the TLFB-technique to suppress endotoxin release from E. coli sold to Novozymes Biopharma AB. This technique was also shown to be very useful for controlling viability and proteolysis in Pichia processes.

· 1990ths- Physiological aspects of scale-up of bioprocesses (E. coli). I initiated and co-ordinated the EU-project Bioprocess Scale-up Strategy Based On Integration of Microbial Physiology and Fluid Dynamics (BIO4-CT95-0028). This work pioneered in demonstrating physiological stress responses induced by large-scale process conditions. Approx. 20 original publications are related to analysis and modelling of scale-up and physiological scale-up responses. It also brought me into the area of DNA and mRNA analysis.

·2000- 2007 Electric DNA-chips. Through the co-ordination of the EU project Bioprocess chips (QLK3-CT-1999-00533) much of my research became focussed on analytical applications, using silicon based DNA chips for mRNA analysis in bioreactors. I used the experiences from this project to initiate the eBIOSENSE project (LSHB-CT-2004-512009), in which the focus was on analysis of pathogenic microorganisms in food. At KTH we specialised on analysis of EHEC and pathogenic Bacillus cereus. The publication list includes 8 original papers on electronic DNA chips.

·2003- 2007 Integrating downstream processing with Pichia fermentation: Modification of the standard Pichia fermentation process enabled product recovery and purification in one single unit operation (expanded bed adsorption) connected on-line to the fermentor effluent. 8 original publications and one review were produced.

Download a publication list covering the above activities.

Some of the PhD thesis of my previous PhD students are also available for downloading.

In 2008 I retired from research activities and I continue now with developing teaching tools and textbooks.