Seven decades of antibiotic production, current challenges in the pharmaceutical industry, and the future of biotechnology were the key themes of a professional conference held on October 28, 2026, in Slovenská Ľupča. The Technology and Innovation Park of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice (TIP-UPJŠ) was represented at the event by Prof. RNDr. Erik Sedlák, DrSc., Head of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Biosciences, and Mgr. Dušan Rostáš, PhD., Head of the Technology Transfer Centre.
The conference, held to mark the 70th anniversary of antibiotic production at the company Biotika, offered an overview of the firm’s history, current activities, and future direction. The professional program covered the outlook for antibiotics, technological advancements, and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards in penicillin production, as well as the environmental aspects of the manufacturing process.
The program also included a presentation on a project focused on developing a microorganism capable of producing the enzyme penicillin V acylase, along with an overview of the results achieved. A concluding discussion provided a forum for the exchange of experience among experts from industry, research institutions, and academia.
The participation of representatives from TIP-UPJŠ also supported the activities of the Advanced Protein Biotechnology Consortium (APBC)—an international research and development consortium focused on protein biotechnologies, high-value-added research, the creation of intellectual property, and the development of future bioproduction.
The APBC project (09I02-03-V01-00021), implemented under the leadership of UPJŠ, is funded by the European Union through the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Slovak Republic. Its objective is to foster innovation in the field of protein biotechnologies and help mitigate the “brain drain” (outflow of talent) from Eastern Slovakia.
Participation in the conference builds upon the university’s long-standing efforts to bridge cutting-edge research with the practical application of its results, promote technology transfer, and develop collaborations with partners in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors.
