Plant cells in liquid suspension culture can make valuable pharmaceutical compounds through a variety of biosynthetic pathways. Usually, significant levels of secondary metabolites are expressed only at very high cell density near the end of the growth phase. In our laboratory, we are studying the fundamentals of mixing and mass transfer in dense culture using two experimental techniques. The first experiment measures oxygen mass transport in stirred-tank cultures of tobacco cells. Marine Plant Cell Culture .
Marine plants can also produce valued biomedicinal compounds.
In collaboration with the College of Pharmacy, we are working to establish cell suspension cultures of red and brown macroalagal plants which synthesize bioactive compounds of the arachidonic acid cascade. We are also developing bioreactors for controlled cultivation of marine plant cells and biosynthesis of medicinals. Porous Biopolymer Beads . Chitosan is a glucosamine polymer derived form chitin, the main component of crustacean shells. Recently, our laboratory has developed a process to make highly porous, magnetic beads of cross-linked chitosan.