Samia-Rourou

Samia Rourou

Scientist 

Institut Pasteur de Tunis

Tel : + 216 783 022, ext. 308

Fax: + 216 71 791 833

E-mail: samia.rourou@pasteur.rns.tn

 

 

VALIDATE Role:

Network Investigator

 

Research Keywords:

Vaccine development, bioprocess development: upstream and downstream; biotechnology, mammalian cell culture, biofermentation

 

Biography: 

Dr. Samia Rourou is a scientist (Assistant Biologist) at Institut Pasteur de Tunis (Tunisia) active in the field of bioprocess development based on mammalian cell culture technology.  She held a degree of Biology engineer, a master and a PhD degree in biological sciences (speciality: biotechnology). Since October 1999, Dr Rourou joined Institut Pasteur de Tunis (IPT) where she was appointed at the viral vaccines development unit as biotechnology engineer.

In September 2010, she defended her Ph.D. in biological sciences entitled "Culture of Vero cells and production of rabies virus under animal component free conditions: process development & proteomics Study ". Later on, in October 2011, she was appointed as an assistant biologist at IPT. Dr. Rourou is highly involved in vaccine development programs within the biotechnology development group. She had greatly contributed to the development of processes for the production of rabies vaccines for veterinary and human use based on BHK-21 and Vero cells culture in stirred bioreactor.

On January 2016, she was selected by WHO/TDR to benefit from a Career Development Fellowship (CRDF). The first year, she joined glycoconjugate vaccines laboratory at GSK, Siena, Italy. Then, she got a re-entry grant to implement a small project (beforehand approved by TDR) related to capacity building. Since 2017, Dr Rourou adapted adherent Vero cells to suspension growth and rabies virus production. Today, Dr Rourou is leading biotechnology development group within IPT. She is managing 10 national and international projects related to vaccines (rabies, BTV, NDV,..) and therapeutic proteins (antibodies, hormones, S-RBD of SARS-Cov2,…) development.

 

Key Publications:

  • Rourou S, Ben Zakkour M., Kallel H (2019). Adaptation of Vero cells to suspension growth for rabies virus production in different serum free media. Vaccine 37: 6987–6995.
  • Rourou S., Ben Ayed Y., Trabelsi K., Majoul S. and Kallel H. (2014). An animal component free medium that promotes the growth of various animal cell lines for the production of viral vaccines. Vaccine. 32: 2767-2769.
  • Trabelsi K, Majoul S., Rourou S., Kallel H. (2014). Process intensification for an enhanced replication of a newly adapted RM-65 sheep pox virus strain in Vero cells grown in stirred bioreactor. Biochemical Engineering Journal. 90: 131-139.
  • Rourou S., Kluge S., Vester D., Majoul S., Benndorf D., Genzel Y., Rapp E., Kallel H. and Reichl U. (2013). Proteome analysis of virus-host cell interaction: Rabies virus replication in Vero cells in two different media. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.97: 5493-5506.
  • Rourou S., Riahi N., Majoul S., Trabelsi K. and Kallel H. (2013). Development of an In Situ Detachment Protocol of Vero Cells Grown on Cytodex1 Microcarriers under Animal Component-Free Conditions in Stirred Bioreactor.Appl.Biochem. Biotechnol. 170:1724-1737.
  • Trabelsi K., Majoul S., Rourou S., Kallel H. (2012). Development of a measles vaccine production process in MRC-5 cells grown on Cytodex1 microcarriers and in a stirred bioreactor. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 93: 1031-1040.
  •  Rourou S., Hssiki R., Kallel H.(2011). Isolation of active peptides from plant hydrolysates that promote Vero cells growth in stirred cultures. BMC Proceedings, 5 (Suppl 8): P116.
  • Rourou S., Van Der Ark A., Van Der Velden T. and Kallel H. (2009). Development of an animal component free medium for Vero cells culture. Biotechnology Progress 25 (6): 1752- 1761.
  • Rourou S., Van Der Ark A., Majoul S., Trabelsi K., Van Der Velden T. and Kallel H.(2009). A novel animal component free medium for rabies virus production in Vero cells grown on Cytodex 1 microcarriers in a stirred bioreactor. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 85: 53-63.
  • Rourou S., Van der Ark A., Van der Velden T. and Kallel H. (2007). A microcarrier cell culture process for propagating rabies virus in Vero cells grown in a stirred bioreactor under fully animal component free conditions. Vaccine 25: 3879–3889.
  • Trabelsi K., Rourou S., Loukil H., Majoul S. and Kallel H. (2006). Optimization of virus yield as a strategy to improve rabies vaccine production by Vero cells in a bioreactor. Journal of Biotechnology 121: 261-271.
  • Trabelsi K., Rourou S., Loukil H., Majoul S. and Kallel H. (2005). Comparaison of various culture modes for the production of rabies virus by Vero cells grown on microcarriers in a 2-l bioreactor. Enzyme & Microbial Technology 36: 517-519.
  • Kallel H., Rourou S., Majoul S., Loukil H. (2003). A novel process for the production of a veterinary rabies vaccine in BHK-21 cells grown on microcarriers in a 20 L Bioreactor. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 61: 441-446.

 

 

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