The School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences at UNSW

The University of New South Wales

A leading research and teaching school with expertise in biotechnology, molecular biology, genetics, environmental microbiology, medical microbiology, immunology, biochemistry, protein chemistry and other areas of biological science.

Image of Dr. Wallace Bridge

Dr. Wallace Bridge

  • Position: Senior Lecturer
  • Room: G05, Biological Sciences
  • Phone: (+61 2) 9385 1297
  • Fax: (+61 2) 9385 1483
  • email: w.bridge@unsw.edu.au

Professional Experience

  • 1984-1986 CSR Ltd., Research Scientist
  • 1986-1997 Burns Philp & Co. Ltd (BPC).
  • 1986-1988 CSIRO Division Food Research, Research Scientist
  • 1988-1989 Aplin & Barrett, UK, Research Scientist
  • 1989-1992 UNSW Dept. Biotechnology, Research Scientist
  • 1992-1994 Roferm SpA., Italy, Senior Research Scientist
  • 1994-1997 Group Leader (BPC), Program Leader CRC for Food Industry Innovation
  • 1998-present UNSW
  • 1998-2001 CRC FII, Program Leader and Commercial Project Manager
  • 2001-2008 Entrepreneurs in Science Unit (Faculty of Science), Director

Research Contribution

I have 24 years academic and industrial experience in bioprocessing based R&D in Australia and overseas (Italy and UK). My major research areas have included; ethanol; cephalosporin C, nisin, thiol antioxidants; isoprenoids; glycosidic enzymes; lactic acid bacteria (dairy starter cultures and probiotics), bakers yeast; yeast extract manufacture; microbial biotransformations and biocatalysis; and more recently immunology. Current research activities are in the fields of biocatalysis and immunology.

Biocatalysis: My research group has developed a biocatalytic-based process for the manufacture of gamma linked peptides. A PCT patent application covering the technology is currently licensed to Biospecialties Australia Pty Ltd (BSA) by the UNSW commercialisation arm, New South Innovations Ltd (NSi). BSA is in the process of commercialising the technology for the manufacture of the thiol antioxidant, gamma-glutamyl cysteine (GGC). My former PhD student Dr Martin Zarka who worked on the process development and is co-inventor on the patent is now BSA's Research Manager. BSA constructed a pilot plant at its Mayfield, Newcastle factory to validate and optimise the technology for industrial scale-up. These pilot studies were supported by a 2006 awarded $1.16 million AusIndustry Commercial Ready grant. The industrial scale-up is also being supported by a Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) Partners in Innovation grant. The GGC product has broad market applications as a dietary supplement, cosmetic ingredient, functional food ingredient, and possibly as a therapeutic for a large range of clinical disorders and diseases. Commercial manufacture of GGC is scheduled in mid-late 2009.

In 2009, we plan to expand our BABS research activities to animal models (in vitro and in vivo) designed to validate the efficacy of GGC. Other bioprocess engineering work will look at adapting the biocatalytic technology to other potentially commercially viable gamma linked peptides.

Immunology: Our immunology-based work is exploring hypotheses on how some antigenic cancers are able to escape detection (and/or attack) by the immune system. Successful outcomes of this project could lead to new targets for cancer treatment, and new methods of diagnosis and monitoring the progress of the disease and the efficacy of treatments.

As part of the method development for this project, we identified a potential new protein based technique that could be used for improved human tissue typing (HLA). The method offers low costs, simpler analysis and higher resolution and offers substantial benefits to all stakeholders involved in human organ and tissue transplant. This technique has been patent protected and is currently being commercialised by NSi.

Honours & Awards

  • 2007 UNSW Australian School of Business Faculty Entrepreneur Award
  • 2008 Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation nominee
  • Patent 2008: Inventor/s Matthew Clemson and Wallace Bridge. Assignee UNSW. Title: HLA screening method. item
  • Patent 2006. Inventor/s M. Zarka and Wallace Bridge. Assignee UNSW. Process for the manufacture of γ-glutamylcysteine. PCT AU2006/0004372006.

Publications

Mallika Boonmee, Noppol Leksawasdi, Wallace Bridge, Peter Rogers (2007)
"Electrodialysis for Lactate Removal in the Production of the Dairy Starter Culture Lactococcus lactis NZ133" International Journal of Food Science and Technology.
International Journal of Food Science and Technology, Vol 42. 567-572
Mallika Boonmee, Noppol Leksawasdi, Wallace Bridge, Peter Rogers. (2003)
“Batch and continuous culture of Lactococcus lactis NZ133: experimental data and model development”.
Biochemical Engineering Journal. Vol. 14, 127-135