Group Leader
 |
Sonia Alejandra Wirth Investigador CONICET sonia.wirth@nullgmail.com |
Our objective is to identify, clone and characterize new enzymes of industrial interest, mainly cellulases, hemicellulases and ligninases, for their potential application in the production of second generation bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, pulp and paper industry, treatment of contaminated effluents, as well as in the design of enzymatic biosensors and bio-fuel cells. We promote the consolidation of a technological platform for the development of optimized enzymes through the application of techniques of molecular biology and protein engineering and for the production of recombinant proteins in yeasts and plant bioreactors. We also work on the production of recombinant cell differentiation factors to supply research laboratories using animal cell lines.
Collaborative works:
- Dr. Laura Levin, Laboratory of Experimental Mycology, INMIBO-CONICET, DBBE-FCEN-UBA: Bioprospecting of lignocellulases in white rot fungi and development of systems for immobilization of fungi for ligninase production for use in the degradation of Industrial dyes.
- Dr. Claudio Slamovitz, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada: Genome sequencing and analysis of Geastrum sp.
- Dr. Eleonora Campos, Bioenergy Laboratory, Institute of Biotechnology, INTA-Castelar: Development of fungal and bacterial lignocellulase cocktails for the saccharification of plant biomass in the production of second generation bioethanol.
- Dr. Fernando Battaglini, Laboratory of Chemical Sensors, INQUIMAE-CONICET-UBA: Development of biosensors and biofuel cells based on the use of lacases from fungi and actinomycetes.
- Dr. Irma Roberts, Institute for Research in Agricultural and Environmental Biosciences, INBA-CONICET, FAUBA-UBA: Cloning and characterization of barley subtilisins.
- Dr. María Eugenia Segretin, Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, INGEBI-CONICET and Dr. Carolina Pérez Castro, Laboratory of Tumor Cell Stem Cells and Plasticity, IBioBa-CONICET-MPSP: Production of recombinant growth factors and cytokines for use in mammalian cell lines with stem cell properties.
- Dr. Pablo Cerdán, Laboratory of Molecular Plant Biology, Institute Leloir and Dr. Nicolás Furman, Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, FCEN-UBA: Development of recombinant protein expression systems in Arabidopsis thaliana using light-inducible promoters.
