Manoj Pohare
Research Associate University of Sheffield
Dr Manoj Pohare is a protein biochemist specialising in RNA-based therapeutics, enzyme engineering and bioprocess development. He is a Process Development Researcher at the University of Sheffield, where he works on RNAbox; a compact, automated and integrated platform for end-to-end mRNA vaccine manufacturing.
His current research aims to make mRNA production scalable and cost-efficient. It includes engineering bacteriophage RNA polymerase mutants fused with one or more capping enzymes, and developing pH-based soft sensors for inline prediction of RNA yield during in vitro transcription (IVT). He is also establishing in-house capability to synthesise IVT recycling efficient DNA templates, and is developing a continuous-mode version of an integrated IVT and oligo-dT purification process currently operated with batch-mode recycling.
Before this, Dr Pohare contributed to SARS-CoV-2 antigen research and to the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium. His background is in structural biology and structure-based drug discovery. He holds a PhD from Ehime University, Japan, where he studied as a MEXT Scholar.
Seminars
- Using closed systems to reduce contamination risk and manual intervention
- Building modular IVT, purification and LNP manufacturing operations that can flex between products and scales
- Standardising equipment and process controls to simplify transfer between manufacturing sites
- Understanding where modular manufacturing genuinely improves cost, speed and flexibility versus traditional fixed facilities
