Zakin This award will help support the renovation of about 3000 square feet of laboratory space in the Chemical Engineering building at Ohio State University. This laboratory space is used for research and research training in the areas of biochemical/bioprocess engineering. The labs were originally build 34 years ago for classical wet chemistry and process research and teaching purposes. None of this space is now suitable for current needs required for modern biotechnological and bioprocessing research. Research that will be pursued in the renovated lab spaces will include: 1) production of value-added products from agricultural wastes or byproducts; 2) novel bioreactors for microbial fermentations and cell cultures; 3) ultra filtration of protein and polysaccharides; 4) biodegradation and bioremediation; and 5) magnetically facilitated cell separation of cells of biotechnological interest. This renovation project will greatly enhance the biotechnological research being done on this campus and make possible better training of the students that are being attracted into these important areas of research.
