Re-explore Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics With IMBM

Biotechnology is a vital science in four industrial sectors: agri-food, health care; environmental uses, and industrial uses of crops. It is a science that has always been at the service of bettering human being’s lives. That is why the Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics (IMBM) is exploring new applications of microorganisms. We interviewed their Research and Innovation Manager, Dr. Anita Burger, to know more about their projects.

Dr. Anita Burger

Tell us more about you?

I am a biotechnologist by training with extensive technical and management experience in technology innovation and commercialization of biotechnology-related products and processes. I obtained a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the University of Stellenbosch in 2004 on the “Isolation and characterization of a developmentally-regulated gene from Vitis vinifera (grapevine) berries”. My work experience to date was mainly in the agricultural (seventeen years as researcher and project manager for the Agricultural Research Council) and industrial biotechnology sectors (four years as portfolio manager for the Technology Innovation Agency), covering an array of research and product development projects in plant, yeast, industrial and health biotechnology. I have a keen interest in the aspects critical to the successful commercialization of innovation. My passion is to provide technical and business support to technology developers, entrepreneurs, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises to fully develop and successfully commercialize South African innovative technologies.

I am a Research and Innovation Manager. As such, I am responsible for the development of an innovation strategy to develop microbial-derived products, processes or services which can be translated into commercial opportunities for national and international enterprises and industries.

About your lab, what is its history, its mission?

The Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics (IMBM) is a leading research unit based within the Department of Biotechnology at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The Institute is considered a global competitor in microbial biotechnology and metagenomics and is committed to excellence in research and in the training of future research leaders. Although the Institute is a research-focused center, it also contributes to the departmental undergraduate teaching and activities. The core research objective of the Institute is to develop Microbial Biotechnology, through complementary aspects of Microbial Biology. Research interests within the Institute include Environmental and Industrial Microbiology, Metagenomics, Applied Genomics, and Marine Biotechnology. IMBM is accommodated in the new Life Sciences Building, providing state of the art research facilities and equipment. These include the Next Generation Sequencing Facility and other “omics” related technologies. The Institute hosts the prestigious DST/NRF SARChI research chair in Microbial Genomics.

What services does your lab offer?

The IMBM laboratory is well equipped and provides access and training for a range of multi-user research equipment to the broader research community. In addition to the existing Next Generation Sequencing Facility, the IMBM is also launching the Single Cell Genomics Platform with the newly acquired Fluorescent Activated Cell Sorter (FACS) AriaIII. Equipped with a four-laser system and 4-way clone sorter, the instrument, together with existing flowcytometric assays, will feed directly into the workflow for the MiSeq next-generation sequencer, thereby presenting an integrated and streamlined workflow. This workflow option positions the Institute uniquely within the genomics service sector in the country and enables the IMBM to offer an immensely powerful research tool to both academia and industry.

What sets your expertise apart from others?

Its research encompasses a number of disciplines including microbiology, (meta)genomics, molecular biology, enzymology, and bioinformatics, and employs culture-based approaches as well as cutting edge (meta)genomic strategies to study microbiomes and identify novel biosynthetic gene clusters and metabolites from bacterial isolate collections. The Institute has collections of bacterial isolates with over 3 900 isolates from South African marine, medicinal fynbos, and other indigenous environments. The largest collection contains over 3 300 marine invertebrate-associated bacteria from the South African coast. The biological resources also include a number of metagenomic libraries and environmental DNA preparations sampled from a number of extreme environments. The genomes from these isolates or metagenomes are largely unexplored, and therefore harbor great potential for the discovery of novel, high-value natural compounds for new product development.

IMBM research also focuses on the study of phages (bacterial viruses) and the development of phage therapies for the treatment of a range of disorders, diseases, and infections. Other research investigates the use of engineered or natural whole-cell biocatalysts for a number of processes including remediation strategies for different wastewater streams including those from mines, wine cellars, olive plants and oil processing plants.

What challenges are you willing to address in the near future?

One of our challenges is to identify suitable partners for the isolation and characterization of the bioactive(s) in the extracts that we identify from the various screenings that are performed. This includes anti-microbial and anti-fungal screening, as well as other health-related targets identified by our international collaborators.

What do you expect from Scientist?

To serve as a mechanism to facilitate visibility and connecting laboratories with specific interests.

If you are interested in knowing more about IMBM__,_visit its profile._