Pilot scale continuous centrifuge for Curtin Malaysia

An MBPX404 continuous centrifuge by Alfa Laval Tumba AB in Sweden was air-freighted to Shanghai and integrated with custom-designed discharge tanks. After integration and testing, the system will be shipped to the Pilot Plant Facility at Curtin University Malaysia.

A Photobioreactor for the Pilot Plant facility at Curtin Malaysia

A pilot scale 750 L photobioreactor for the outdoor autotrophic culture of algae will be added to the Pilot Plant facility at Curtin Malaysia.

Infors AG Techfors Pilot Bioreactor is ready for the Pilot Plant Facility at Curtin Malaysia

The Techfors 150 L Pilot Scale Bioreactor destined for the Bioprocess Floor of the Pilot Plant Facility at Curtin Malaysia has been completed and tested after 6 months of fabrication at Infors AG in Basel, Switzerland. The tender value of this bioreactor is RM1.6M.

Pilot scale preparative chromatographic system commissioned

GE Akta Pilot chromatographic system (and an Akta Pure bench top system) was commissioned at the Pilot Plant Facility, Curtin Malaysia on 07 Aug 2018.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Frankincense

Frankincense is an aromatic resin which has been traded for over 5000 years. Its increasing rarity makes it a high-value ingredient for perfumery and aromatherapy. We extracted the highest grade of frankincense (from Boswellia sacra) via a pilot scale supercritical fluid extraction system at the Pilot Plant Facility at Curtin Malaysia.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Dabai

First test pilot scale extraction of oil and fat from dried dabai (Canarium odotophyllum Miq.) pulp. The dabai plant is indigenous to Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Dabai oil is known to be rich in antioxidants. This is the basis for commercial interest in its use as a nutraceutical.

Curtin Marine Science in the Miri-Sibuti Coral Reefs National Park

Curtin University commences research on the marine science, biodiversity and paleoclimatological history of the Miri-Sibuti Coral Reefs National Park. This will be a three-year program funded by the Curtin Malaysia Research institute. The MSCRNP program is part of the Curtin Baram Project.

S.A.T. for Batch 1 rigs at the BC@CM

Site Acceptance Testing for Batch 1 Rigs at the Bioprocess Centre @ Curtin Malaysia 09 - 10 Aug 2017. With this S.A.T., the Distillation Rig, Rising Film Concentrator, Substrate Prep reactor, Multi-purpose Reactor, Supercritical Fluid Extraction system, Spray Dryer, Solid-Liquid Extractor, Plate Filter, Tray Dryer and Extruder are all commissioned. The fabricator of all the systems except the SFE was Kawan Engineering Sdn. Bhd. of Ipoh, Perak. The SFE was designed and fabricated by NATEX Prozesstechnologie GesmbH, of Ternitz, Austria.

Carbon Dioxide Extraction System bound for the Biotechnology Centre @ Curtin Malaysia

Ternitz, Austria, December, 2016. A verification team from Sarawak conducted the Factory Acceptance Test of a Pilot Scale Carbon Dioxide Extraction System built by Natex Prozesstechnologie GsmH for the Biotechnology Centre @ Curtin Sarawak. The system will be shipped to the Centre in Jan 2017 and is anticipated to be operational in May 2017.

The Biotechnology Centre @ Curtin Malaysia

An update on the progress to date on the Biotechnology Centre @ Curtin Malaysia (BC@CM), a RM68M investment by the Malaysian federal government. It is project managed by the Sarawak Ministry of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, and Trade and Investment and will be operated by Curtin University Sarawak commencing Q1 2017.

The Curtin Baram Project

A major research undertaking by Curtin University (Miri and Perth campuses) on establishing baseline parameters in the Baram catchment ecosystem on- and offshore. These baselines will be the reference points against which any future developments in the Baram catchment can be assessed.

Highland rice: Empowering the rural producer community

Curtin University Malaysia is engaging the highland communities in northern Sarawak which produce a specialty commodity commonly known as "Bario rice" even though it is produced in large quantities outside the latter location. The objective is help the communities take a greater part in the marketing chain especially with regarding to certification of origin so that a high-value/low volume commodity will be enabled. This will in turn be the base for a greater return to the producers for their efforts in a time when on the one hand, labour is a scarce resource in the highlands thus affecting production output and yet on the other hand there is real potential for increasing the demand for a niche high quality rice.

Development of a Marketing Plan for Highland Rice

Excepts from the forum "Developing a Marketing Plan for Highland Rice from Northern Sarawak" Held at Curtin University, Malaysia on 10 Dec 2014