Petri Rummukainen is a scientist at 3PBIOVIAN, a company formed through the recent combination of Biovian and 3P Biopharmaceuticals. He is responsible for planning, reporting, developing, and executing bioprocesses in collaboration with a team of scientists and engineers. He explains his role in the company and what he is thrilled about.

Two years ago, Petri Rummukainen joined Biovian to help and share responsibility in implementing a new bioreactor process.

“During my first year there I familiarized myself with the equipment and, of course, coming from university sphere, I had to learn the demands of cleanroom work and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). At the end of the year, I had seen the whole procedure up to the end of drug substance production,” he explains.

Petri first got his Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Laboratory Science from Turku University of Applied Sciences and then he continued to pursue a Master’s degree in Drug Development Science. After finishing his Master’s thesis he remained with the same research group to study for his PhD.

So the safety precautions are a lot different at the university than what we do here.”

“It was a big jump to come here from the university, since the fields are so different. At the university, everything I did was on a small scale, and the virus biosafety and biosecurity were more moderate. So the safety precautions are a lot different at the university than what we do here,” he clarifies.

Petri would describe himself as more of a scientist, based on his background, but his true passion lies in engineering, he says, and particularly in solving and understanding the underlying principles behind every process.

What I like the most about working with bioreactors is the technical side.”

“What I like the most about working with bioreactors is the technical side. It’s in my nature to understand what’s behind every process and when there’s something complex ahead, I am thrilled to solve it,” he says.

Bioprocessing

At 3PBIOVIAN’s Turku site, the teams consists of experts in the production of viral vectors for gene therapy, microbially produced recombinant proteins, and plasmid DNA. Petri explains the method for viral vector manufacturing.

“It begins with the upstream phase, when we culture suspension or adherent cells and then expand the cells in a flask. After some expansions, these cells are inoculated into a bioreactor and cultivated until they are infected with a virus seed. Then we add some supplements until the harvesting stage. Finally, the cells are removed from the bioreactor, and viruses are released and purified in the downstream processing,” he says.

Petri Rummukainen, scientist, 3PBIOVIAN

 

“Our downstream phase can be done chromatographically or through gradient centrifugation methods, and the purified viruses are then diluted based on the customer’s specifications and dispensed accordingly,” he adds.

The procedures at 3PBIOVIAN vary depending on customer needs. As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), the company follows established protocols.

“First we do some smaller batches to verify the protocols and then we can move to production as the customer wants, so it’s not something that we create from scratch. We follow the client’s instructions, which we modify to suit our capabilities to reach the customer’s goals,” explains Petri.

A diverse job

Petri not only plans procedures, he also actively engages in them. Instructing the team effectively requires a thorough understanding of each technique, which he achieves by personally working on these.

“I am trying to participate in every step of the process, from the beginning to the end, so I have the complete view of the tasks each member of the team undertakes,” he says.

Maybe my job today is doing cell calculations, the following day I am handling some material, transferring materials, and the next day I can be writing instructions or inspecting batch records.”

He emphasizes that his job is far from monotonous, a quality he greatly appreciates.

“Having experienced every aspect of production, from the initiation of cell culture to the completion of the downstream phase, I get to see and do a lot. So I like that there’s variation. There are no similar days. Maybe my job today is doing cell calculations, the following day I am handling some material, transferring materials, and the next day I can be writing instructions or inspecting batch records.”

“The most rewarding aspect of my job is the team I am working with. They are talented, flexible and capable of great things,” he concludes.

This interview was originally published in NLS magazine No 01 2024, out February 2024

About the author

Paula Pérez González-Anguiano, M.Sc. in Scientific, Medical and Environmental Communication, is a Science Journalist and Illustrator based in Barcelona, Spain.