John C. H. Fann, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Cell Culture
Process Sciences
Abbott Bioresearch Center

When did you first get interested in science? What inspired you?
I have always been interested in science-related topics, even as a child. Chemistry and biology had been my two favorite subjects in school, and so when it came to choosing a major in college, it was natural for me to pick biochemistry. The field of life sciences was blooming rapidly in the 80‘s, and I was astonished at the new discoveries in molecular biology and protein chemistry that were occurring on an almost daily basis.

I first became familiar with cell culture technology as a graduate student at the National Taiwan University. The ideas of how genes and proteins control cell behavior and expression, and how external environments and nutrients affect the life cycle of a cell were fascinating to me. This fascination eventually led me towards a career in industrial cell culture development.

What are three highlights of your scientific journey?
My original goal was to embark on an academic route, which was the most common pathway for biochemistry graduates in the early 90’s. However, my first exposure to biotech industry came before I went abroad for my Ph.D. studies. I had worked at a Taiwanese vaccine company for a few years and while there, I was a part of the technology transfer team working with a U.S.-based biotech company. Through this opportunity, I learned the concept of using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells for recombinant protein production and understood its potential in the biotech industry.