Why Trichoderma reesei is Precision Fermentation’s Quiet Workhorse
Why Trichoderma reesei is Precision Fermentation’s Quiet Workhorse
The Power of Trichoderma reesei: Building the Future with Fungi is an expert webinar series launched in December 2025.
This multi-part series explores the scientific, industrial, and commercial potential of Trichoderma reesei, the microbial platform powering Bioalbumen®, highlighting why it has become a trusted workhorse in large-scale protein manufacturing.
In this first session, “Why Trichoderma reesei is Precision Fermentation’s Quiet Workhorse,” industry experts Dr. Sharief Barends, Head of Research Leiden and Head of Fungal Genetics at IFF, and Dr. Christopher Landowski, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Onego Bio, discuss:
• The research legacy and biological strengths of T. reesei
• Its advantages at industrial scale
• How it compares to other microbial platforms used in precision fermentation
• Why it is particularly well suited for protein production in food manufacturing
A companion white paper can be found here, offering deeper technical insight into the capabilities of Trichoderma reesei in protein manufacturing.
Recorded December 18, 2025.
About Dr. Sharief Barends, Head of Research Leiden and Head of Fungal Genetics at IFF
Sharief joined IFF in 2010 as a molecular biologist in Palo Alto, California, and soon moved to Leiden, where he focused on engineering fungal cell factories and enzymes for multiple business segments. Over the years, he has held several scientific and leadership roles and today leads the Leiden research team as well as the global fungal genetics team. Sharief holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Leiden University, where his research centered on protein synthesis and microbial systems. His work has earned him prestigious awards, post-doctoral fellowships, and recognition through patents and publications in peer-reviewed journals.
About Christopher Landowski, Co-founder & CTO, Onego Bio
Chris is a precision fermentation trailblazer and one of the most influential scientists and renowned experts in the field of cellular agriculture globally. He is the scientific mastermind behind many of the technologies currently used in the field, including Onego Bio’s cutting-edge technology to produce egg white proteins via precision fermentation. The chosen technology is based on harnessing the fungi Trichoderma reesei for protein production and Chris believes this technology is superior because of its efficiency and productivity.
Prior to co-founding Onego Bio, Chris spent 15 years developing breakthrough precision fermentation platforms at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. He has extensive experience in recombinant protein production and has been working with numerous players in the cell ag field internationally to translate this knowledge to enable commercial scale production of animal-free proteins.
Christopher has a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Michigan (USA) and has done postdoctoral work in Harvard Medical School (USA) and University of Bern Medical School (CH). He has published 43 peer-reviewed publications (H-index 28 and 3100 citations), 3 book chapters, and 8 patents or patent application families.