The opportunity to work with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies on his PhD project was an opportunity James Donaldson couldn’t pass up. He tells us about his ambition and motivation to improve patient healthcare, in our latest PhD case study.

Why did you decide to undertake this project?

I decided to undertake this project because of my interest in improving patient healthcare through the development and commercialization of exceptional pharmaceuticals and medical technologies. Having recognised that manufacturing processes form an integral part of successful drug development, the opportunity to work with FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies on a PhD project which aimed to reduce cell line development timelines, whilst improving the productivity of CHO cells, was one which intrigued and excited me. The potential impact of my research in significantly reducing drug development timelines has remained a source of motivation for me throughout my PhD.

What are your ambitions for the future?

Alongside my PhD, my enthusiasm for the commercial development of pharmaceuticals led me to pursue internships with Edinburgh University Consulting Club, Edinburgh Innovations' Technology Transfer team and ELAVITY. In the future, my goal is to combine the technical knowledge that I have acquired during my PhD with the business experience gained from my internships, pursuing a career that hopefully makes a positive impact on the pharmaceutical industry.

What excites you about your research?

Many aspects of my research excite me. Firstly, the opportunity to make a tangible impact on the biomanufacturing industry and improve patient care is genuinely inspiring. Furthermore, I find great excitement in the opportunities that a PhD provides to think creatively and devise strategies to tackle complex challenges faced by the industry. Finally, collaborating with experts and professionals in the industry, as well as being part of a larger scientific community, has fuelled my enthusiasm for research throughout my PhD journey. Travelling to Mexico for the 2023 Cell Culture Engineering Conference was definitely a bonus too!

Where/what do you think the next innovation in IB will be? 

I believe that one of the next innovations in industrial biotechnology, specifically in biologics production, will be focused on the development and application of dynamic engineering strategies for CHO cell line development. By leveraging synthetic biology tools, such as inducible promoters, protein degradation systems, and post-transcriptional switches, it will be possible to actively monitor and optimise the utilisation and timing of various production traits (e.g., growth rate, cellular metabolism, and protein production) in real-time during production runs. You can read more about these ideas in my 2 review papers: "Decoupling Growth and Protein Production in CHO Cells: A Targeted Approach" (Donaldson et al., 2021) and "Synthetic Biology Approaches for Dynamic CHO Cell Engineering" (Donaldson et al., 2022).

What is an interesting fact about you / what do you enjoy doing away from your studies? 

One interesting fact about me is that I grew up on a farm in the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire. Although I have now made the switch from farmer to pharma, I still love to escape the city to go on countryside walks. I also enjoy playing badminton, cricket, and football, and having coffee with friends in Edinburgh’s many cafes. If you’re ever in Edinburgh I would definitely recommend brunch at Salt café in Morningside!