CSIR

Tsepo Tsekoa is a protein biochemist qualified at doctoral level (PhD). His main expertise are in the combined fields of applied biochemistry, structural biology and recombinant production of biologics, including reagent proteins, vaccines and antibodies. In recent years Tsepo’s R&D focus has been on developing plant-based (N. benthamiana) and microbial fermentation production processes for biologics manufacture at bench (and for some markets at pilot scale), with an emphasis on downstream processing aspects.

He has expert knowledge of filtration and chromatography as applied to biomanufacturing process development at these scales. In his current environment as Research Group Leader at CSIR’s Biosciences unit, Tsepo’s main expected tangible output is in the form of technology demonstrators at a maturity of technology readiness level of 5-6. At the same time he continues to pursue an applied research program towards the production of biologics, enzymes and reagent proteins (antibodies and metagenome-derived DNA manipulating enzymes).