Throughout 2022 and 2023, my Senior Capstone Design Project in Metabolic Engineering culminated a year-long initiative that emulated real-world company challenges. As the Founder and Project Lead, I orchestrated a cohesive team of biochemical engineers and assumed the role of the primary stakeholder. The project involved a year-long collaboration with Dr. Yajun Yan's Lab, where we genetically engineered E. coli strains to enhance the production of L-asparaginase, an enzyme crucial for treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia and reducing carcinogenic acrylamide levels in food. Our efforts were recognized with a top-three finish at UGA's Quick Pitch Competition, expanding our networking opportunities. Throughout the project, we successfully communicated complex biochemical engineering concepts to diverse audiences, fostering interdisciplinary understanding and collaboration. Additionally, we conducted thorough research into legal aspects such as intellectual property, biosafety regulations, and compliance standards to ensure the project met industry and legal guidelines. To optimize the project further, we developed a Python-based solution using SciPy and DEAP for fine-tuning the mass balance of the fed-batch reactor.
