Sister act brings different skills to biopharmaceutical manufacturing
Two sisters are taking a multidisciplinary approach to biopharmaceutical research – joining forces to support research efforts at the ARC Digital Bioprocess Development (DBD) Hub. The research centre brings together computer scientists and bioprocess engineers to develop new digital techniques for bioprocessing.
Saumya and Vinodya Karunadhika, PhD candidates at the University of Melbourne and RMIT University respectively, are hoping to drive advancements in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Saumya and Vinodya together at a Hub workshop. (Picture: Supplied)
Saumya, from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology’s School of Computing and Information Systems, is focused on the digital realm of bioprocessing, leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimise biomanufacturing processes. She integrates her expertise in computation with newly acquired bioprocessing skills.
Specifically, Saumya is working on enhancing tangential flow filtration (TFF), which is a method used in the biopharmaceutical industry for separating and purifying biomolecules such as proteins, DNA and viruses.
Using advanced digital techniques, Saumya aims to make TFF more efficient and cost-effective.
Saumya works with advanced digital techniques like artificial intelligence to improve biomanufacturing outcomes. (Picture: Supplied)
“Bioprocessing involves developing products like vaccines and medicines using living cells,” Saumya explains.
“My role is to integrate machine learning into these processes to enhance productivity and maintain continuous biomanufacturing.”
“For instance, in TFF, we can use artificial intelligence to control operations more effectively, reducing waste and improving outcomes.”
Saumya’s journey began with her bachelor’s honours degree in statistics from the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka, where she developed an affinity for data science.
After gaining industry experience, she sought PhD opportunities aligned with her interest in machine learning, leading her to the University of Melbourne and her current project in the DBD Hub sponsored by life sciences company Cytiva and the Australian Research Council.
Vinodya’s work brings her pharmaceutical skills to an experimentally focused project in bioprocessing. (Picture: Supplied)
Meanwhile, her sister Vinodya is pursuing her PhD in Medical Science at RMIT’s School of Health and Biomedical Sciences as part of the DBD Hub. She found a passion for pharmaceutical sciences while studying for her bachelor’s honours degree in pharmacy at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka.
Vinodya brings her pharmaceutical skills to an experimentally focused project in bioprocessing, that aims to improve the formulation of monoclonal antibodies, a type of cell-made protein that can bind to certain targets in the body, often used to treat cancer.
Her work involves stabilising these biological drugs by carefully selecting and combining excipients, which are substances added to maintain the drug’s stability throughout the shelf life. To achieve this, she is combining experimental methods with digital skills.
"The formulation stage is crucial because monoclonal antibodies at high concentrations can aggregate, leading to quality issues," Vinodya said.
"My focus is on ensuring the drug remains stable and effective, even at high concentrations.”
She is working under the guidance of Dr Céline Valéry and Dr Durga Dharmadana, from RMIT University; Professor Sally Gras, from the University of Melbourne; and Dr Heidi Elmer-Bodnar, Senior Formulation Manager at CSL (biotechnology company).
Saumya and Vinodya. (Pictures: Supplied)
Despite their distinct yet complementary fields, Saumya and Vinodya's paths joined at the ARC DBD Hub. Their collaboration is a testament to the Hub's mission to integrate digital and experimental methodologies, fostering innovation through interdisciplinary teamwork.
“Working together at the Hub is a complete coincidence,” Saumya explains.
“I explored several potential projects when I first met my supervisors, Dr Ling Luo, Professor Uwe Aickelin and Dr Bastian Oetomo. One particularly caught my interest, but it seemed oddly familiar.”
“Once I looked into it further, I realised it was part of the same research Hub where my sister works.”
The ARC DBD Hub, a five-year collaborative program, is led by University of Melbourne Professor Sally Gras, from the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Deputy Director Professor Uwe Aickelin from the School of Computing and Information Systems.
“It was a great surprise to learn that Saumya and Vinodya are sisters, they are an excellent example of how we are bringing together two disciplines, with the expertise of our industry partners to foster digital innovation,” Professor Gras said.
The Hub aims to transform biopharmaceutical manufacturing and unlock growth opportunities to forge an internationally competitive Australian Biopharma sector. A key output will also be new PhD graduates and researchers familiar with both digital and bioprocessing techniques who can assist in the digital transformation of the sector.
Find out more about the ARC Digital Bioprocess Development Hub here: https://www.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2023/june/driving-digital-transformation-of-australias-biopharmaceutical-sector-with-new-arc-hub