Sparks, MD–Brimrose Technology Corp. (BTC) is excited to announce the unveiling of a new sector, our Biotechnology Division. This opens a new discipline of business for BTC, one which also brings us a strong presence into the life sciences.

To prepare for our new division, BTC has been working with world-class biotech institutes and hiring qualified new staff.

BTC is in the process of signing memoranda of understanding with a variety of globally recognized institutes and companies, including the Eliava Institute in Tbilisi, Georgia; the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Nanjing, China; NHDetect; New Horizons Diagnostics Corp, Arbutus, MD; and the International Phage Research Center.

New staff include Dr. Yingyun Liu, who has joined the Biotechnology Division to work on the application and detection of lytic enzymes. He received his Ph.D. from Penn State University, after prior study in China.

David Trudil has joined Brimrose to help coordinate efforts with NH Detect, a company he directs, and New Horizons Diagnostics Corp., a Maryland-based company which specializes in manufacturing tests for the rapid detection of bacteria and toxins in human, environmental, surface, food, and water samples for use by municipal and corporate customers. The company also works with local and national governmental agencies.

One focus of research is on the utilization of the bacteriophage virus and Phage Lytic Enzymes for the treatment, prevention, control and detection of specific bacteria in the environment or in applications for human, agriculture, animal or food use. Bacteriophages, or bacteria eaters, occur in nature, kill bad bacteria, are safe for animals and humans, are inexpensive, and do not harm the environment or cause the problems that antibiotics do. While bacteriophages have been used for some time with varying degrees of success, work by Trudil, the aforementioned Georgian and Chinese institutes, and other researchers working with Brimrose show significant progress and should lead to greater use of these important viruses.

Working with the Eliava Institute, our new Biotechnology Division is offering a series of unique bacteriophage products which are being used to replace antibiotics in poultry feed and for other important applications. As mentioned, bacteriophages are “good” viruses that attack and kill bad bacteria that can harm poultry and other living things. (Click on the bacteriophage product offerings we are introducing.)

The new division also is working with partners on the development of Fluorescence Strips for the rapid and sensitive detection of bacteria, viruses and toxins based on immunological (antibody-antigen) reactions.