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Carbonell Research Group

Accomplishments

Major Research Contributions

    1. In the early 1980’s Dr. Carbonell developed a new mathematical model to describe the hydrodynamic performance of trickle bed reactors that are useful in petroleum processing. This model was quickly adopted by industry, and became a standard for the development of novel design criteria for this important class of reactors. This work has been referred to as a major breakthrough in chemical reactor engineering, based on the applications of fluid dynamic concepts in hydrology to chemical reactor design, and allowed other researchers to develop stability models applied to trickle bed reactors and to develop new flow models for particle-fluid systems. The improved reactor design approaches that resulted from this approach had a big impact on the improved profitability of these processes.
    2. In the mid 1990’s Dr Carbonell’s research group developed a novel way of identifying small, inexpensive and robust peptide ligands for the purification of proteins from biological sources by affinity chromatography. This work involves the use of solid phase combinatorial libraries to find small peptides that can bind a target protein selectively from a complex mixture. This work has the potential for reducing the cost of production of pharmaceuticals from human plasma and in fermentation broths. In 2006, Dr. Carbonell published a landmark paper describing a small peptide ligand that is able to bind specifically to the Fc fragment of human immunoglobulin G (hIgG). This peptide mimics the specifity of Protein A, and has a wide range of potential applications including industrial scale protein separations, analytical separations, diagnostics, and process analytical technologies. A new corporate entity, Ligamar, Inc., was established in 2008 in order to commercialize this ligand discovery approach and to develop new classes of highly specific affinity ligands.
    3. In 2001, a new corporate entity, Pathogen Removal and Diagnostic Technologies, Inc. (PRDT), was formed to apply Dr. Carbonell’s ligand discovery technology to the removal and detection of pathogens such as prion protein and viruses from blood products including red blood cell concentrate, whole blood and plasma-derived pharmaceuticals. Dr. Carbonell is one of the founders, together with Dr. Robert Rohwer from the University of Maryland. Dr. Carbonell’s group was instrumental in identifying a specific ligand for the prion protein that is responsible for mad cow disease in humans (variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease). This ligand is able to remove the prion protein from blood without affecting the clotting properties of blood that are important in blood transfusions. Two landmark papers were published in 2006 in the highly respected journals Transfusion and Lancet demonstrating the first-ever, specific removal of prion-associated infectivity (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, or TSE) from whole blood using this affinity resin. The prion removal resin has now been adopted by two major industrial biopharmaceutical manufacturers in the removal of prion protein from plasma-derived biotherapeutics.Dr. Carbonell’s group, with PRDT funding, also developed a process for making a novel adsorptive filter to be used for the removal of prion protein from human blood during transfusions. This adsorption filter integrates resin particles containing the ligand with nonwoven fabrics that hold the particles but allow red blood cells to pass through unharmed. A blood filter company in France (MacoPharma) licensed this technology from PRDT and in 2006 received the Council of Europe approval (CE Mark) to sell this product in the United Kingdom under the name P-CaptTM filter. The device has successfully concluded safety trials and is awaiting approval for adoption in the UK, Ireland and Scotland. France, Spain and other countries are also considering adoption.
    4. Dr. Carbonell has pioneered new approaches for applying coatings to surfaces using carbon dioxide as a solvent. These include the applications of polymers as protection agents on porous surfaces such as stone, of photoresists on silicon wafers, and lubricants on magnetic disk drive materials. Has developed novel extraction processes, spin coating and free meniscus coating devices for these applications. Patents arising from this work led to the formation of Micell Integrated Systems, a fully owned subsidiary of Micell Technologies, Inc. to commercialize the use of carbon dioxide as a solvent for microelectronics applications.
    5. Dr. Carbonell’s research has also provided novel insights into the mechanisms of particulate contamination of silicon wafers during the manufacture of integrated circuits. This work was awarded the Maurice Simpson Award of the Institute for Environmental Sciences in 1992. This work was done collaboratively with the Research Triangle Institute and was funded by the Semiconductor Research Corporation.

Director of the Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (2008-Present)

  • Under Dr. Carbonell’s leadership, the BTEC has established itself as a world-class site for the training and education of undergraduate, graduate and professional students in all areas of biomanufacturing. He has developed a new process development program and forged partnerships with other universities and other countries to reach out to the biomanufacturing community worldwide.

Director of the William R. Kenan, Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science (1999 – Present)

  • Dr. Carbonell established the Kenan Fellows for Curriculum and Leadership Development, a program to develop future classroom teacher leaders in K-12 education through work with distinguished university mentors, special training sessions and events, and professional recognition. This highly successful program has become a model for university-K-12 outreach for the National Science Foundation and has been adopted by several other states. The program is beginning to serve teachers throughout the state after its initial start in the triangle region. The National Science Foundation supports this program as a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) site.
  • Dr. Carbonell conceived and established the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) as a significant programmatic extension of the already-existing Emerging Issues Forum. The IEI is a public policy unit that brings together experts to discuss topics to be discussed prior to a forum, and then hosts statewide discussion sessions after a forum to lead to consensus action items to be suggested to the legislature. This program is now supported by the NC legislature.
  • Together with Dr. Chris Brown, Dr. Carbonell conceived and established the NC Space Initiative as a program whose main goal is to make North Carolina a leading state in space-related educational, research and economic development activities. Dr. Brown has done an excellent job of leading this effort and garnering additional resources to have a truly exceptional state-wide impact on these activities.
  • Dr. Carbonell conceived and established the Bioseparations and Bioprocessing Development Center (BBDC) to enhance industry-university collaborations in biomanufacturing. Recently, Dr. Carbonell organized and hosted the first-ever Bioseparations and Bioprocessing Development Symposium which brought together representatives from 13 biomanufacturing companies and many faculty and students at NC State University to find themes for collaborative research efforts in this important area for the future of North Carolina. Over 150 individuals attended this symposium, making it the most significant event in this topic ever held in NC.

Co-Director of the NSF Science and Technology Center for the Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes, with J. DeSimone (1999 – 2008)

  • Dr. Carbonell coauthored the grant application for this program with Dr. Joseph M. DeSimone at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The National Science Foundation established this as one of only five Science and Technology Centers awarded in 1999 from a total of over 300 pre-proposals. At the time it was the largest grant ever received at the UNC system. The mission of the Center is to develop alternative solvents and processes to eliminate solvents and contaminated water emissions in chemical and manufacturing processes. This is a $36 million collaborative program over 10 years with UNC Chapel Hill, NC State University, University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Institute of Technology and NC A&T State University. The program was renewed for the whole 10-year run of these centers. The Center has major thrusts in basic science research, communication and innovation processes, K-12 education, industrial outreach and outreach to under-represented minorities. Research topics have spanned over the years over a very broad spectrum, including polymer synthesis and processing, nanotechnology, surface and colloid science, membrane separations, thermodynamic modeling and drug delivery.

Director of the Kenan Center for the Utilization of Carbon Dioxide in Manufacturing (1997 – Present)

  • Dr. Carbonell established this industrial consortium with Dr. Joseph M. DeSimone in 1997. This is a Center between UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University, which at its heights was funded by 17 corporate sponsors and the Kenan Institute. Its mission was to investigate the application of carbon dioxide to a wide variety of industrial processes, including polymer manufacturing, catalysis, coatings, polymer processing, and extractions and other separations. This Center was the industrial outreach arm of the NSF STC. At the request of the member companies, the Center is now being run through individual grants with companies.

Department Head of Chemical Engineering (1994 – 1999)

  • Dr. Carbonell launched a campaign to renovate Riddick Laboratories, resulting in modification of the lecture hall in Riddick 11, the student lounge, and the administrative offices and allowed for the purchase of many new pieces of equipment for the Unit Operations Laboratory. He hired five new faculty members, including the first fully endowed distinguished professor in chemical engineering. He enhanced the department’s laboratory space by developing a computational laboratory in Research Building II and a polymers and biotechnology laboratory in Partner’s Building II, nearly doubling the available space for research in the department. Developed the Kenan Center for the Utilization of Carbon Dioxide in Manufacturing in collaboration with Joseph DeSimone and had laboratories built in Partner’s Building I. In the last year as Department Head wrote a successful proposal with Joseph DeSimone that led to the establishment of the NSF Science and Technology Center for Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes.Dr. Carbonell was also very instrumental in helping Dean Nino Masnari to plan the move of the College of Engineering to Centennial Campus. He canvassed all of the departments in the college to determine space needs, and he helped the dean create a master plan for the phased construction of the various buildings. This plan was met with great support by the university and the data was used to execute the first phases of the construction after funds were raised for the move from the legislature.

Director of the Hoechst-Kenan Program on Environmental Science and Technology

  • This was an exploratory program on university-industry collaborations involving ten different research projects cutting across chemistry, chemical engineering, textiles, pulp and paper and environmental engineering. It was the first large program led by the Kenan Institute and a major cross-disciplinary activity on the NC State campus.