Vaccine expert takes path of most resistance
Vaccine. The word may bring to mind exotic disease strains in the news or memories of inoculations we received as children.
Less common is thinking about how vaccines affect our food supply.
That’s where SRC research scientist Amy Friesen comes into the picture. Using the Biosafety Level 2 Fermentation Pilot Plant in SRC’s Health and Food Laboratories, Friesen and a team of scientists and technologists work with veterinary biologics companies to develop new animal vaccines.
Friesen uses huge stainless steel tanks called fermentors to find the right combination of nutrients for vaccines bacteria to grow.
"A small vial of vaccine that fits in the palm of your hand comes from a larger batch that might be several hundred litres of material," says Friesen. "It takes an impressive combination of art and science to ensure each batch contains a uniform combination of cells and products."
Finding the right vaccine is an SRC specialty since it’s the only contract research organization in Canada with approval to produce animal vaccines. In November 2007, SRC’s Fermentation Pilot Plant received regulatory approval to produce Coliprotec—the first live vaccine for food animals to be developed, validated and produced in Canada in the past decade.
To arrange an interview with Amy Friesen or another SRC expert, please contact SRC Communications:
Ph: 306-933-5400
Email: media@src.sk.ca
Expertise
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Project management
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Producing veterinary biologics
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Fermentation and downstream processing design
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Microbiology method development
Credentials
