Other

Valitacell Limited

Medimmune Limited

James Engineering (Turbines) Limited

David James

Ben Thompson

Jerry Clifford

Theo A Notter

Diane Hatton

Suzanne J Gibson

Adam J Brown

Sarah Louise Davies

As demonstrated herein, when composite transcription factor binding sites do not function synergistically, mammalian promoters can be constructed according to simple design rules. Host-cell transcriptional machinery components were analyzed in silico to identify transcription factors with desired expression dynamics. Cognate binding sites were then comprehensively tested in homotypic and heterotypic architectures to assess modularity and determine the transcriptional activity exhibited by a single copy of each site. When elements were specifically selected to prevent combinatorial interactions, heterotypic promoter activities could be accurately modeled simply as a function of constituent binding site copy numbers. As binding site order, spacing, and orientation had minimal effect on promoter activity, blocks could be optimally combined and arranged in silico according to context-specific design-criteria. To demonstrate this, CHO cell promoters were created de-novo that exhibited designed activity levels and long-term expression stability in vitro.

In silico design of mammalian promoters with user-defined functionality

A method of determining variation between a query cell culture media and a reference cell culture media is provided. The method comprises the steps of incubating a reference cell with an aliquot of the query culture media and at least three chemical cell stressors in wells of a microtitre plate and determining an environmental response of the reference cell in the presence of the query cell culture media and each of the plurality of chemical cell stressors. A query cell culture media specific environmental response fingerprint is generated comprising the plurality of chemical cell stressor specific environmental responses. The query cell culture media-specific environmental response fingerprint is compared with a reference media-specific environmental response fingerprints corresponding to a reference cell culture media and generated using the reference cell. Variation between the query cell culture media and the reference cell culture media is then determined based on the level of correlation between the query cell culture media-specific environmental response fingerprint and the reference media-specific environmental response fingerprints.

Method of determining a compositional or functional characteristic of a cell culture media

A method for predicting the phenotypic stability of a cell line comprises the steps of culturing the cell line over an assay period, and generating an environmental response fingerprint for the cell line at a plurality of different time points over the assay period, wherein each environmental response fingerprint is generated by determining the environmental response of the cells in the presence of each of a plurality of chemical cell stressors. The plurality of environmental response fingerprints are compared to detect change in the environmental response fingerprint over the assay period. The level of change in the environmental response fingerprint over the assay period is indicative of the level of predicted phenotypic instability in the cell line. The environmental response may be growth response, productivity response, or another detectable environmental response.

Method of predicting phenotypic instability in a cell

A biomass fuel combustor for use in the pressurized combustion comprising of biomass fule particles to produce a pressurized exhaust gas, the combustor comprising: a cyclonic combustion chamber having a combustion region and first and second fuel inlets, the first inlet being for the entry into the chamber of gas and/or liquid secondary fuel for combustion in said combustion region and the second inlet being for the entry into the chamber of biomass fuel particles also for combustion in said combustion region, the chamber being so constructed and arranged that the heat generated by the secondary fuel combustion will, in use and at least during stan-up of the combustor, promote fragmentation of the incoming biomass fuel particles.

Gas turbines

The invention provides a method of manufacturing a twist drill having a cutting insert. The method includes the steps of providing a cutting insert which has a prismatic shape and which comprises a layer of abrasive compact which is bonded to a cemented carbide backing. The insert has on a first facet a cutting edge formed by the abrasive compact layer, and on a second facet a seating surface formed predominantly by the cemented carbide backing. The first and second facets define a predetermined first angle with each other. A twist drill is provided, having a seat in its flank. The seat defines a support surface adapted to receive a seating surface of the insert, and is inclined at a predetermined second angle to the face of the drill. The insert is bonded into the seat, so that the cutting edge of the insert defines the major cutting edge of the drill and the first facet of the insert coincides with the face of the drill. The invention includes cutting inserts and twist drills produced by the method.

Growing community of inventors

Sheffield, United Kingdom

David James