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Analytical Science & Technology (Protein Analytics)
Towards Advanced Biomanufacturing
The Protein Analytics group applies advanced LC-MS analytical technologies and automated product characterisation workflows to support biotherapeutic research and its translation to drug development and manufacturing. The group provides accurate and comprehensive insights into biotherapeutic product quality and bioprocessing, enabling informed decision-making in biomanufacturing.
Focus Areas
- Streamlined and automated LC-MS workflows for enhanced analytical efficiency and reproducibility
- Real-time Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) and Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) monitoring to support QbD biomanufacturing
- Advanced analytics for next-generation biotherapeutics, including complex antibody formats and cell and gene therapy products
Our Capabilities
Streamlined Analytical Workflows for Biotherapeutics Characterisation
Automated and simplified analytical workflows that enhance efficiency in biotherapeutics characterisation - reducing processing steps, minimising artefacts and improving reproducibility. These workflows enable in/near real-time monitoring of product quality, and facilitate model-based process control through real-time analytical data.
Multi-level Biotherapeutic Characterisation by LC-MS
MS-based platform assays for comprehensive characterisation of therapeutic proteins across multiple structural levels, encompassing intact protein, subunit, and peptide-level analyses. These structural insights are essential for confirming molecule identity, assessing complex product quality and supporting regulatory submissions.
Innovative MS Applications for Advanced Biomanufacturing
Advanced mass spectrometry for profiling complex next-generation biotherapeutics, including novel antibody-derived modalities, protein nanoparticles (PNPs), and cell and gene therapy (CGT) products, as well as the host cell systems used in their production. Together with the multi-omics expertise within the AS&T division, these capabilities provide mechanistic insights into cellular biomanufacturing processes.
Our Technologies
Automation of MS-based Workflows for Real-time Analytics
As part of the BTI Platform of the Future initiative, the Protein Analytics team automates MS-based bioanalytical workflows and their data processing pipelines for biomanufacturing. The streamlined MS-based platform facilitates real-time assessment of product quality attributes (PQAs), enabling feedback control and Quality by Design (QbD) biomanufacturing.
Technological capabilities:
- Multi-attribute Method (MAM) for QTPP-aligned CQA monitoring
- Automated process parameters and product quality monitoring
Research direction:
- Towards real-time release testing and QbD in-process control
Single-Column LC-MS Set-up for Multilevel Biotherapeutic Characterisation
Multiple analytical workflows are consolidated into a single instrumental setup, reducing analytical complexity, footprint, time and cost while enabling comprehensive protein characterization. This simplifies the atline and online deployment of LC-MS as a process analytical technology (PAT) tool for real-time product quality monitoring, accelerated release testing, and QbD biomanufacturing
Streamlined DIA-MS Workflow for Host Cell Protein (HCP) Impurities Analysis
The DIA-MS workflow supports host cell protein (HCP) impurity analysis for biotherapeutic process development and product characterisation. Built on validated spectral library resources, the robust workflow enables individual HCP identification and quantification, facilitating upstream and downstream process monitoring
The Team
Our Track Record
Milestones
- SCIEX and A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute Enter Multi-Year Collaboration to Advance Biologics Research & Development in Singapore (link to Press Release)
Publications
- Nattha Ingavat †, Yee Jiun Kok †, Nuruljannah Dzulkiflie, Liew Jia Min, Wang Xinhui, Kia Ngee Low, Ka Pui But, Amihan Anajao, Loh Han Ping, Han Kee Ong, Farouq Bin Mahfut, Yuansheng Yang, Xuezhi Bi & Wei Zhang (2026) Structural stability of symmetric bispecific antibodies: a case study showing potential compromise near linker regions. Scientific Reports 16: 9715
- Chee Fan Tan, Kuin Tian Pang, Rita Lee, Alok Tanala Patra, Felicia Ong, Ian Walsh, Siew Young Quek, Tom Wheeler, Xuezhi Bi (2026) Proteomic profiling of New Zealand endemic Porphyra/Pyropia (karengo) seaweeds: a predictive framework for functional food applications. Future Foods 13: 100938
- Kia-Ngee Low †, Yee-Jiun Kok †, Stephen Tate and Xuezhi Bi (2025) Multilevel-Intact, Subunits, and Peptides-Characterization of Antibody-Based Therapeutics by a Single-Column LC–MS Setup. Analytical Chemistry 97(9): 5118-5125
- Mauro Galli, Lillian Chia-Yi Liu, Kae Hwan Sim, Yee Jiun Kok, Katherine Wongtrakul-Kish, Terry Nguyen-Khuong, Stephen Tate and Xuezhi Bi (2024) SWATH-MS insights on sodium butyrate effect on mAbs production and redox homeostasis in CHO cells. AMB Express 14(1): 140
- Alok Tanala Patra, Evan Tan, Yee Jiun Kok, Say Kong Ng and Xuezhi Bi (2024) Temporal Insights into Molecular and Cellular Responses during rAAV Production in HEK293T Cells. Molecular Therapy: Methods & Clinical Development 32(3): 101278
† Authors contributed equally to this work
Landmark Patent & IP
- Microfluidic chip for sample preparation and sample preparation system (2023)
- Methods of characterising biological therapeutics (2023)
- A fast and universal proteomics sample preparation reagent kit using depth filter-based protein enzyme digestion (2023)
- Method for gossypol detoxification and nutrient enrichment (2023)