student team selected for competition.
Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany) invited applicants for a "Protein Production Line Challenge” competition. Several groups around the world sent proposals for this competition and hoped to be part of the 12 candidates called for the challenge. The selected 12 teams were provided with an antibody expression construct and a cell line (CHO). The selected teams will then have a year to submit a high expression CHO cell line, that will be tested at Merck. Only three teams will be then selected and receive a Gold (EUR 20,000), Silver (EUR 10,000) or Bronze (EUR 5,000) award.
Four Biotechnology Major students at created a team that sent a proposal to the competition and were selected as one of only 12 teams. The team is lead by Mitchell Lesko, and the rest of the team are Allison Davis (also Chemistry minor), Joram Rana, and Eric Veverka. The team is being mentored by Drs. McDonough and Hegmann. Stay tuned!!