Nov 27 2014
Ceapro Inc., a growth-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of active ingredients for healthcare and cosmetic industries, announced today that Bernhard Seifried, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist at the Company, was recognized as the recipient of the Achievement Award for Scientific Achievement & Innovation at the BioAlberta 15th Annual General Meeting and Awards Gala in Calgary, Canada on November 25.
The BioAlberta Scientific Achievement & Innovation award honors scientists and entrepreneurs who have demonstrated leadership and made significant, extensive and tangible contributions to the Alberta and Canadian life science community.
Dr. Seifried is the co-inventor of the novel platform processing technology called Pressurized Gas eXpanded Liquid Technology (PGX). PGX is a unique and disruptive technology with several key advantages over conventional drying and purification technologies that can be used to process biopolymers into high-value nano-sized polymer structures and novel bio-nanocomposites. PGX is ideally suited for processing challenging high-molecular weight water soluble bio-polymers and has the ability to make ultra-light, highly porous polymer structures on a continuous basis which is not possible using today's conventional technologies.
Gilles Gagnon, M.Sc., MBA, President and CEO of Ceapro, commented, "We are excited Dr. Seifried has been recognized for this prestigious award. Dr. Seifried's strong scientific acumen will continue to prove to be very important to Ceapro as we leverage his significant contributions in the near-and long-term. Specifically, Ceapro's PGX technology platform will enable the strategic expansion of our business model into highly attractive, well established and growing sectors."
"Amongst a plethora of potential applications, Ceapro has used PGX to produce a high purity dry oat beta glucan that can be developed to act as a delivery system for cosmetic and healthcare markets as well as a systemic active ingredient with contemplated health benefits such as cholesterol reduction," Mr. Gagnon added.
Dr. Seifried earned his Ph.D. in Food and Bioresource Engineering from the University of Alberta where he completed his doctoral project work under Professor Feral Temelli, Ph.D. He then joined Ceapro in 2010 where he successfully designed all the equipment and modifications required to scale-up PGX at a level that will enable commercial applications.
Dr. Seifried is an expert in supercritical fluids and high pressure processing and is a first-author or co-author of numerous research articles published in notable scientific peer-reviewed journals. He received an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from Technische Universität Graz in Austria.