BIOTECHNOLOGY - Volume XIV: Fundamentals in Biotechnology

Horst W. Doelle was born in 1932 and studied biology at the University of Jena, Germany (1950–4). He studied for his doctorate at the University of Göttingen, Germany (1955–7) in antibiotic production. After receiving his doctorate, he worked in the wine and brewing industry in Germany before taking up an appointment with CSIRO in Australia in 1960. After four years’ wine research, he took up the challenge to build up microbial physiology and fermentation technology at the Department of Microbiology, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. He received his D.Sc. in 1976 and his D.Sc. honoris causain 1998. He has participated in and conducted numerous training courses in developing countries. Aftertwenty-nine years’ teaching he retired in 1992. His research area was regulation of anaerobic/aerobic metabolism, microbial technology (Zymomonas ethanol technology), and socio-economic biotechnology using micro-organisms for waste management.

J. Stefan Rokem is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. He earned his M.Sc. in Microbial Biochemistry and Fermentation Technology from the Imperial College of Science and Technology at the University of London, United Kingdom. He completed his Ph.D. studies in Applied Microbiology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel with a thesis on “Production of Single Cell Protein”. In addition to his teaching duties at the Hebrew University, Dr. Rokem serves as a scientific consultant to local biotechnology companies and is a reviewer of several journals and granting agencies. He has been on the executive committee of the International Organization of Biotechnology and Bioengineering for several years, serving as one of the representatives of the Middle East. Dr. Rokem has given several guest lectures and courses in Bioengineering and the use of Biotechnology for the improvement of the Environment in South and Central America. Recently Dr. Rokem developed a novel curriculum in Biotechnology for the Open University of Israel. During his academic career he has co-authored over 60 peer reviewed papers, written several book chapters, co edited one book and written a monograph on the use of Biotechnology to Improve the Environment. The main research interests of Dr. Rokem are the regulation of antibiotic production in Actinobacteria, production of organic acids with filamentous fungi and the use of Biotechnology to reach Sustainable Development, mainly novel methods for sewage treatment. He has spent sabbaticals at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm,

Sweden; MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA and The Danish Technical University, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Marin Berovic was born on 22.3.1951 in Novo mesto, Slovenia. He obtained in 1976 his B.Sc., 1979 M.Sc and 1974 Ph.D in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, on Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Ljubljana. In 1984 he received degree of M.A., Master of Art, on Academy of Beautiful Arts, Dept.Restavration and conservation of Art monuments, of University of Ljubljana. From 1976 to 1998 he was as a higher research scientist and a head of bioreactor engineering laboratory on National Institute of Chemistry involved in research in thirty five research project mostly as a head of research. He did his scientific training on bioprocess engineering on Institut für Biochemische Technologie und Microbiologie, Technische Universitat Graz,Austria and on Institut fur Technische Chemie Technische Universitat Hannover, Germany, modelling in biotechnology on Technical University Delft-Leiden,The Netherlands and Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark and research in rheology of filamentous fungal broths on University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Great Britain. In 1996 he was elected as assistant professor of bioprocess engineering on Biotechnical Faculty and in 1996 as assistant professor of art technology on Academy of Beautiful Arts, University of Ljubljana. From 2002 he continued as associated professor of biotechnology on Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Dept.Chemical, Biochemical and Ecology Engineering University of Ljubljana, where he is full time professor on biotechnology and biochemical engineering. From 1986 he is started as the representative of Yugoslavia and from 1991 Slovenia in European Federation on Biotechnology (EFB).

In 1989 he established EFB Bioreactor Engineering Course, doctoral/post doctoral engineering course the principal Master Course in biochemical engineering that he is managing still in the present time. From 2002 he is vice-chairman of International Organization on Biotechnology and Bioengineering. He is a Member of New York Academy of Sciences, Member of Executive Board of European Federation on Biotechnology and Chairman of European Section on Biochemical Engineering Sciences. He is Editor of biochemical engineering in New Biotechnology, Associated Editor of Biotechnology Annual Review, he edited 8 books on biochemical engineering and he obtained three National awards on research and innovations.