The Biofactory Competence Center (BCC) has forged a stellar reputation since it was founded almost a decade ago. One of its core activities is applied research in pharmaceuticals, industrial biotechnology and food biotechnology, which also happen to be key growth sectors of the canton of Fribourg economy.

Professor Carmen Jungo Rhême, the director of the Fribourg School of Engineering and Architecture-affiliated center, has a particular interest in antibiotic resistance, which the WHO has declared one of the major challenges facing our society today, “We have started working with the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) on its clinical trial which is looking into the treatment of patients with bacteriophages. It’s our job to optimize certain stages of this process.” With close to 20 years’ experience acquired at some of the biggest names in the pharmaceutical industry like CSL Behring, UCB Farchim, Merck Serono and Lonza, Prof. Jungo Rhême brings the high-level skills and expertise needed to devise processes that can be easily implemented in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) environment.

Microorganisms with high added value

The CHUV trial is not the only project the BCC team is working on. It has partnered with Swiss companies and international consortia to explore other research areas, such as the valorization of biomass and its transformation into high value-added products such as biodegradable bioplastics; the development of medical implants and staphylococcus aureus treatments; and the creation of microbial-based food products. As Prof. Jungo Rhême notes with a smile, “There’s always something sprouting here!”

As a process optimization specialist, BCC also serves as a showroom for a number of major laboratory equipment manufacturers like Cytiva, which has provided the BCC laboratories with their viral vector production equipment. “Accelerating the pace of advanced therapy development relies on collaboration,” Emmanuel Abate, President of Genomic Medicine & Head of Sustainability at Cytiva, points out. “Our relationship with the BCC affords us the opportunity to share our deep expertise and empower the next generation of scientists working in the rapidly growing field of genomic medicine.”

Last but by no means least, the BCC is also a dedicated training provider. “We offer a pharmaceutical operator course,” the director explains, adding that “It’s the only one of its kind in Switzerland and there is high industry demand for people who have a qualification like this.”