Implementation of an adventitious agent assay by HTS

Manufacturing of consistently high quality products is the commitment of the pharmaceutical industry. To achieve this, new products must be thoroughly tested and the results must meet government-approved product specifications. Improving existing and adopting improved analytical technologies for product testing ensure the production of safe and effective products. This is particularly critical for the manufacturing of vaccines and biologics which, relative to small molecular drugs, are more susceptible to contamination by viral or microbial adventitious agents. New approaches, including high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and associated bioinformatics, can greatly improve upon the breadth and sensitivity of adventitious agent detection. The proposed internships will help to further optimize the HTS-based adventitious agent detection assay, while being trained in this important new technology. This will furthermore foster the development of a talent pool of highly qualified Canadians with expertise to contribute to research-based biopharmaceutical industries.

Faculty Supervisor:

John McDermott

Student:

Sara Hashemi

Partner:

Sanofi

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals

University:

Program: