Molecular & Synthetic Biology
Design, build and test biological systems to produce high-value compounds at scale


Ready to accelerate your biotech development? Access protein engineering, bioactivity testing, and bioprocessing expertise in one place. We’ll address your key challenges and help you move from research to product faster.
Our capabilities
Customer success story

Brandon Capital has the funds, experience and expertise to support life science companies from proof-of-concept through to commercialisation.

Avasa’s arterial coupler makes microvascular surgery quicker and safer empowering surgeons to securely and efficiently link microvascular arteries in under 10 minutes.

Scentian Bio's biosensor technology, based on insect olfactory receptors combined with AI, has created a detection that is 1000x more sensitive than that of even the best beagle.

An Auckland startup that has developed dairy-identical proteins has teamed up with world-renowned ice-cream maker Gianpaolo Grazioli to put its innovation to the taste test.

The world of implantable medical devices is a fascinating and evolving market that has traditionally been full of passive devices (such as hip joints) and active stimulatory devices (such as pacemakers). Kitea Health, recipients of the Ārohia Innovation Trailblazer Grant, are leading the advancement of this area with their implantable pressure sensor devices that allow proactive management of chronic disease. The micro devices provide real time, accurate monitoring information to clinicians, so they can provide treatment early.

It’s a new industry but producing cannabis-derived medicines has been years in the making for Rua Bioscience. And it’s those former years where Callaghan Innovation has been crucial in helping them get production ready.
Amaroq Therapeutics is a biotech startup developing cutting-edge therapies to fight some of our most prevalent and hard-to-treat cancers.

Pioneering a way to harness seaweed’s potential has helped AgriSea to claim the title of one of New Zealand’s most innovative hi-tech businesses.
Meet our experts

I am a Senior Scientist in the Protein Science & Engineering (PSE) team within the Biotechnologies group. As a molecular biologist, I have worked on bacterial, plant and mammalian recombinant protein expression systems.
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I am a Research Technician in the Biotechnologies team, specialising in Biochemistry. My passion for Biochemistry began during my undergraduate degree at the University of Otago, leading me into a Master’s degree with a focus on post-translational modification, specifically ubiquitylation.
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I am a Senior Principal Engineer in the Biotechnologies department. My expertise is in the extraction, separation and purification of Natural Products, where I specialise in green and traditional solvent extraction methods, downstream separations, fractionation, purification and process scale-up.
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I’m a Team Leader Bioprocessing & Fermentation (acting) working in the Fermentation and Microbiology group. My background is in Biochemistry and I’m skilled in a variety of molecular biology and microbiology techniques, as well as small scale fermentation.
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I work as a Principal Fermentation Scientist within the Bioprocessing & Fermentation team. My expertise lies in developing new products and technologies, supporting commercialisation and providing ongoing business support for a wide range of fermented products.
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I moved to New Zealand in 1997 to join the Glycobiology and Enzyme Technology Team (GET) at Industrial Research Limited as a postdoctoral researcher.
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I am a Senior Scientist specialising in Bioprocessing and Fermentation where my expertise lies in the culture of fastidious microorganisms and pathogens, cloning and microbiome research.
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I am a Senior Scientist in the Biotechnologies group with a specialisation in Bioprocessing and Fermentation. Prior to joining Callaghan Innovation, I worked in the UK on the development of in vitro diagnostic medical devices.
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I am a Senior Fermentation Scientist specialising in Bioprocess and Fermentation in the Biotechnologies group.
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I work as a Principal Project Engineer specialising in Process Engineering within the Biotechnologies team where my focus is on the production of high-value products derived from biological resources.
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As a Senior Scientist in the Proteins and Enzymes team, my main focus is the development of extraction and purification strategies and analysis of high value proteins and enzymes.
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I am the Group Leader for our Biotechnologies division. My role involves providing senior leadership across our broad and dynamic group, providing services to New Zealand and international companies for the commercialisation of R&D.
Read moreI'm currently the Team Leader and Principal Research Scientist in the Proteins and Enzymes team within the Biotechnologies group. I have deep experience and expertise in the field of biochemistry around biotransformation, protein extraction, glycoenzymes and bioassays.
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I'm the Team Leader and Principal Chemical Engineer in the Process Engineering team at Callaghan Innovation. My expertise lies in the field of Biotechnologies, specifically focusing on Industrial processing of natural products, solvent extraction, and supercritical fluid processing.
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I am Shuguang Zhang, a Principal Research Scientist specialising in Bioprocessing and Fermentation in the field of Biotechnologies. My training is in microbiology and I work manipulating microorganisms, including bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeasts, at both molecular and flask/agar plate scales.
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