https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/tasnim-naseer-tahir/index.htmlAbout me Contact info Homework, Labs, and Projects See the nav bar on the left to look through my work for How To Biomanufacture Almost Anything (Fall 2026)!Hugoenhttps://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/tasnim-naseer-tahir/week-01-hw-project-ideas/index.htmlMon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/tasnim-naseer-tahir/week-01-hw-project-ideas/index.htmlRecombinant Wound-Healing Growth Factor via E. coli (1) What I want to biomanufacture, and why I want to biomanufacture recombinant human Epidermal Growth Factor (rhEGF), a small (~6.2 kDa, 53-amino-acid) signaling protein that stimulates keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation and accelerates re-epithelialization of skin wounds. The target output is purified, biologically active rhEGF formulated into a topical cream/gel. My motivation is utilitarian and personal at once: chronic non-healing wounds (especially diabetic foot ulcers) are a major driver of lower-limb amputation worldwide, and topical growth-factor therapy is one of the few treatments shown to meaningfully speed healing. Existing approved products (e.g., rhEGF and rhPDGF-BB gels) are expensive and often unavailable in lower-resource settings. A low-cost, microbially-produced version — something that could plausibly be made with benchtop fermentation and automation rather than a large pharma facility — is interesting to me because it connects a real clinical need to a manufacturing process that is small enough to imagine building myself. It’s for patients with chronic wounds and for clinics that can’t afford imported biologics.https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/tasnim-naseer-tahir/final-project/index.htmlMon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/tasnim-naseer-tahir/final-project/index.html