Share

Analytical Science & Technology (Protein Analytics)

Protein Analytics Banner

Towards better and safer proteins

The Protein Analytics group focuses on developing innovative bioanalytical technologies and workflows for the characterisation of protein identities, expression levels, and post-translational modifications (PTMs). We conduct comprehensive protein profiling of product quality attributes (PQAs) to ensure safety and efficacy of complex heterogenous molecules, such as biotherapeutics and alternative proteins. As part of the Analytical Science and Technologies (AS&T) groups, we actively contribute to the application of multi-omics strategy in the evaluation of cellular mechanisms to improve bioprocessing.


Focus Areas

  • High-throughput and automated online characterisation methods
  • Characterisation of biotherapeutic products or bioprocesses
  • Development of new technologies for biotherapeutic analyses
  • Next-generation mass spectrometry for protein analytics
  • Alternative Proteins attributes characterisation


Our Capabilities

MS-based PQAs analyses

MS-based PQA analyses

Comprehensive assays for biotherapeutics

Process parameters profiling

Process profiling

Mechanistic evaluation through in-depth longitudinal proteome profiling

Alternative proteins characterisation

ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS CHARACTERISATION

Attributes characterisation, anti-nutrients/allergens identification, cultured meat and media profiling

We have a dynamic team with broad range of expertise in MS techniques and protein analytics. Our facility is well-equipped with state-of-the-art MS (Orbitrap, QTOF, MALDI-TOF/TOF) instruments. We help to establish workflows for biotherapeutics PQAs analyses and alternative proteins characterisation, DDA and DIA-MS, labelled and label-free quantitative proteomics, and targeted MS.

Our Technologies

Technologies 1

SIMPLIFIED AND AUTOMATABLE SAMPLE PREPARATION WORKFLOW ENABLES EFFICIENT AND RAPID PROTEOME PROFILING AND BIOTHERAPEUTIC PQA CHARACTERISATION

  • Simplify: reduce processing steps and time, minimize processing artefacts, improve reproducibility and efficiency
  • Automatable: facilitate high-throughput biomanufacturing process and product profiling

Technologies 2

STREAMLINED DATA-INDEPENDENT ACQUISITION MASS SPECTROMETRY (DIA-MS) WORKFLOW FOR CHO BIOPROCESSING AND HCP IMPURITIES ANALYSIS

  • Streamline: enable efficient characterisation of upstream and downstream processes, and quality by design (QbD) in CHO biomanufacturing
  • Comprehensive: validated CHO spectral library to achieve sensitive, accurate and robust proteins identification and quantitation across multiple LC-MS instrumental setups


OUR TRACK RECORD

Featured publications:

  • Chee Fan Tan, Soon Hong Kwan, Chun Shing Lee, Yan Ni Annie Soh , Ying Swan Ho and Xuezhi Bi (2022) Cottonseed Meal Protein Isolate as a New Source of Alternative Proteins: A Proteomics Perspective. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23: 10105
  • Alison P. Lee, Yee Jiun Kok, Meiyappan Lakshmanan, Dawn Leong, Lu Zheng, Hsueh Lee Lim, Shuwen Chen, Shi Ya Mak, Kok Siong Ang, Neil Templeton, Taha Salim, Xiaona Wei, Eric Gifford, Andy Hee‐Meng Tan, Xuezhi Bi, Say Kong Ng, Dong‐Yup Lee, Wai Lam W. Ling and Ying Swan Ho (2021) Multi‐omics profiling of a CHO cell culture system unravels the effect of culture pH on cell growth, antibody titer, and product quality. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 118(11): 4305-4316
  • Kae Hwan Sim, Lillian Chia-Yi Liu, Hwee Tong Tan, Kelly Tan, Daniel Ng, Wei Zhang, Yuansheng Yang, Stephen Tate and Xuezhi Bi (2020) A comprehensive CHO SWATH-MS spectral library for robust quantitative profiling of 10,000 proteins. Scientific Data 7(1): 263
  • Xuezhi Bi, Lijuan Ye, Ally Lau, Yee Jiun Kok, Lu Zheng, Daniel Ng, Kelly Tan, Dave Ow, Edwin Ananta, Christina Vafiadi and Jeroen Muller (2018) Proteomic Profiling of Barley Spent Grains Guides Enzymatic Solubilization of the Remaining Proteins. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 102(9): 4159-4170

The Team

Bi Xuezhi

Dr Bi Xuezhi

bi_xuezhi@bti.a-star.edu.sg
Senior Principal Scientist I

PhD in Genetics (2000), Wuhan University, China

Research Focus / Interest

  • Mass spectrometry based quantitative and qualitative proteomics
  • Drug target identification and protein post translational modification (PTMs) as well as protein-protein interacting analysis
  • Proteomic profiling of upstream and downstream processes of recombinant protein production in mammalian cells
  • Biopharmaceutical multiple critical quality attributes (CQAs) analysis by mass spectrometry
Kok Yee Jiun

Dr Kok Yee Jiun

kok_yee_jiun@bti.a-star.edu.sg
Senior Scientist II

PhD in Biochemistry (2016), National University of Singapore, Singapore

Research Focus / Interest

  • Qualitative and quantitative proteomics profiling of mammalian production cell lines
  • Mass spectrometry-based characterization of recombinant therapeutic proteins
  • Identification and characterization of disease-associated biomarkers
Tan Chee Fan

Dr Tan Chee Fan

tan_chee_fan@bti.a-star.edu.sg
Senior Scientist I

PhD in Systems Biology and Medicine (2020), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Research Focus / Interest

  • Side Stream Valorization: Process Development of cost-efficient protein production process
  • Developing MS-based technologies for alternative protein discovery and characterization
Wang Loo Chien

Dr Wang Loo Chien

wang_loo_chien@bti.a-star.edu.sg
Senior Scientist I

PhD in Biological Sciences (2015), National University of Singapore, Singapore

Research Focus / Interest

  • Design and implementation of separation and mass spectrometry-based methods for biotherapeutics analyses
  • Development and optimisation of analytical techniques for process and product quality attributes characterisation in bioprocessing
Alok Patra

Dr Alok Tanala Patra

tanala_patra_alok@bti.a-star.edu.sg
Scientist

PhD in Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (2021), Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore

Research Focus / Interest

  • MS-based Quantitative Proteomics profiling for mammalian cell lines and protein quality attributes characterization
  • Protein biomarker discovery and characterization using modern separations coupled with advanced mass spectrometry (MS)
  • Process analytical technology (PAT) in biotherapeutics and alternative proteins in the biomanufacturing process
Mauro Galli

Dr Mauro Galli

mauro_galli@bti.a-star.edu.sg
Scientist

PhD in Medical and Health Sciences (2022), Medical University of Bialystok, Poland

Research Focus / Interest

  • Untargeted proteomics and multi-omics in biologics and bioprocessing field
  • Innovation and development of data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics

Connect with us

A*STAR celebrates International Women's Day

A*STAR Women In Science

From groundbreaking discoveries to cutting-edge research, our researchers are empowering the next generation of female science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) leaders.

Get inspired by our #WomeninSTEM