Dr. Iliyana Pepelanova
We are working on the development of biotechnological processes to provide materials for regenerative medicine. The focus of the work is the production of recombinant proteins from the extracellular matrix for applications in the field of tissue engineering and 3D cell cultivation. Biologically active partial sequences from human structural proteins such as collagen or fibrinogen are produced in GRAS organisms such as E. coli or P. pastoris. Production in simple microorganisms allows virus-free, scalable and cost-effective production of the human structural proteins. Desired mechanical or stimulus-responsive properties of the structural proteins are achieved by chemical modification. An additional focus of the group's work is the production and characterisation of recombinant enzymes and growth factors that play a role in regeneration and healing processes.
