Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Master's student Faculty of Natural Sciences of Novosibirsk State University (FNS NSU) Valeria Meleshenko was among the winners of the Student Startup competition of the University Technological Entrepreneurship Platform. Her project to create an enzyme for cheese making received a grant of 1 million rubles and is aimed at developing domestic biotechnology.
The enzyme chymosin, which is used to coagulate milk in cheesemaking, is currently mostly obtained in Russia from calf stomachs or purchased abroad. This approach is both expensive and limited in its scope of application. Valeria's project offers a fundamentally different approach – genetically engineered production of chymosin. This involves using a synthetic gene obtained from a database and introduced into a yeast strain. As a result, it becomes possible to produce the enzyme in a laboratory, without using animals.
— This approach is quite popular in the field of biotechnology today, it allows to make production more technological, and at the same time humane, since it does not require mass slaughter of animals. For example, insulin production is organized in a similar way, but bacteria are used there, and yeast is used in my project, — explained Valeria Meleshenko.
At the first stage, which also became her bachelor's thesis under the supervision of Dmitry Shchebakov, an employee of the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology "Vector" of Rospotrebnadzor, Valeria had already obtained a strain capable of producing the necessary enzyme.
The next step is to test it at cheese-making plants.
— My task is to produce a sufficient amount of chymosin and conduct tests in real production. If it turns out that there is no difference in the quality of the cheese or even improvements appear, for example, the bitterness goes away or less enzyme is needed to curdle the milk, the project can be considered successful, — the author of the startup adds.
The project already has potential partners. Successful negotiations were held with representatives of the Cheese Research Institute of the Federal Altai Scientific Center of Agrobiotechnology (FANCA), Barnaul. And in case of positive results at this stage, a cheese-making enterprise in Kuzbass is ready to join the project.
According to Valeria, the startup did not simply grow out of her bachelor's thesis. "It is important to note that my victory was made possible largely thanks to the teachers of the NSU Natural Sciences Department, who taught me flexible and analytical thinking rather than blind memorization. And participation in Technohack, a hackathon from the NSU Advanced Engineering School, gave me my first ideas about creating startups," she emphasizes.
An important component of the project is that it not only promotes the development of domestic production of an enzyme important for the food industry, but also expands the use of advanced technologies in this industry.
— Biotechnological projects are one of the most promising areas of development. For NSU students, participation in such initiatives is an opportunity to get involved in real research and create startups that are in demand in industry while still studying, — the university notes.
Valeria continues working on the prototype. She has a year to implement the project – that's how long the grant from the Student Startup competition gives. If the testing is successful, Russia will have its own technology for producing the enzyme, which today has to be mostly purchased abroad.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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