Marc Aucoin, PEng (He/Him)

Marc Aucoin is the Associate Chair, Operations and a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He specializes in Biochemical Engineering, particularly in cell culture engineering for the production of complex biologics: from proteins (projects have included work on myristoylated proteins, antibodies and other immune-system related proteins), to DNA, to virus-like particles, viruses and viral vectors.

Professor Aucoin’s research work makes use of several cell culture platforms including insect (Sf9, Hi5) and mammalian cells (CHO, Vero). One aspect of Prof. Aucoin's work involves the use of 1D-1H NMR for optimizing cell culture processes.

Through his work with viruses, Prof. Aucoin has also gained an interest in examining the stability of virus in complex solutions including cell culture media. This has led to collaborations with industry in the area of virus inactivation and virus control.

At the University, Prof. Aucoin is also a Faculty Advisor for the university’s international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition student team. Prof. Aucoin is an active member of the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology and the Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research. He is also a member of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology. More information can be found on his personal website.

• Virus propagation

• Viral vector

• Virus-like particle

• Vaccine production

• Infection

• Gene delivery

• Animal cell culture

• Biochemical & Biomedical

• Mammalian cell

• Metabolism

• Bioprocess development

• Monoclonal Antibody Production and Modification

• Biologic Production

• Baculovirus Expression Vectors

• Serological Assays

• Cell Culture Monitoring

• Modeling and Simulation

• Synthetic Biology

My research interest surrounds the production of therapeutics that are either able to incite or evade the human immune system. In this vein, I am dedicated to establishing a laboratory in the areas of smart vaccine development and production. My research involves the study of lipid enveloped viruses, including baculoviruses, influenza and coronaviruses.

• 2007, Doctorate Chemical Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Canada

• 2003, Master's Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada

• 2000, Bachelor's Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada

• 2023 Faculty of Engineering Distinguished Performance Award

• 2022 Faculty of Engineering Outstanding Performance Award

• 2018 Faculty of Engineering Distinguished Performance Award for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching, Scholarship and Service

• 2016 Faculty of Engineering Outstanding Performance Award

• 2011 Faculty of Engineering Distinguished Performance Award for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching, Scholarship and Service

• 2021- Accociate Chair, Operations

• 2020-2021 Interim Chair, Department of Chemical Engineering

• 2020 Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, Department of Chemical Engineering

• 2013-2020 Academic Director, WatPD Engineering

• Professional Engineers Ontario

• Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering

• Canadian Socivety for Virology

• Academic Cross-Appointment, School of Optometry, Faculty of Science, 2022 – present

• Academic Cross-Appointment, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, 2020 – present

• Academic Cross-Appointment, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science 2012 - present

• Academic Cross-Appointment, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science 2008 – present

• CHE 180 - Chemical Engineering Design Studio 1
  • Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
• CHE 500 - Special Topics in Chemical Engineering
  • Taught in 2020, 2021
• CHE 562 - Advanced Bioprocess Engineering
  • Taught in 2020
• CHE 660 - Principles of Biochemical Engineering
  • Taught in 2022, 2024
• CHE 663 - Bioseparations
  • Taught in 2025
• NE 281 - Biology for Nanotechnology Engineers
  • Taught in 2024

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Chakraborty M., Powichrowski J., Bruder M.R., Nielsen L., Sung C., Boegel S.J., and Aucoin M.G., Probing Baculovirus Vector Gene Essentiality for Foreign Gene Expression Using a CRISPR-Cas9 System, Methods in Molecular Biology, Volume 127, 127-156, Canada, 2024.

• Saha D.C., Boegel S.J., Tanvir S., Nogueira C.L., Aucoin M.G., Anderson W.A., and Jahed H., Antiviral and Antibacterial Cold Spray Coating Application on Rubber Substrate, Disruption in Disease Transmission Chain, Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, Volume 32, 818-830, Canada, 2023.

• Bruder M.R., and Aucoin M.G., Evaluation of Virus-Free Manufacture of Recombinant Proteins Using CRISPR-Mediated Gene Disruption in Baculovirus-Infected Insec, Vaccines, Volume 11, Canada, 2023.

• Breadner P.R., Dhiyebi H.A., Fattahi A., Srikanthan N., Hayat S., Aucoin M.G., Boegel S.J., Bragg L.M., Craig P.M., Xie Y., Giesy J.P., and Servos M.R., A comparative analysis of the partitioning behaviour of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in liquid and solid fractions of wastewater, Science of the Total Environment, Volume 127, Canada, 2023.

• Frenette A.P., Rodriguez-Ramos T., Zanuzzo F., Ramsay D., Semple S.L., Soulliere C., Rodriguez-Cornejo T., Heath G., McKenzie E., Iwanczyk J., Bruder M., Aucoin M.G., Gamperl A.K., and Dixon B., Expression of Interleukin-1β protein in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo salmonid models, Developmental and Comparative Immunology, Volume 127, Canada, 2023.

• Bruder M.R., and Aucoin M.G., A sensitive assay for scrutiny of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus genes using CRISPR-Cas9, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Volume 107, 4323-4335, Canada, 2023.

• Sadr S., Zargar B., Perez J., Aucoin M.G., and Ingalls B., Heterologous expression of NoxA confers aerotolerance in Clostridium sporogenes, Biotechnology Journal, Volume 19, Canada, 2023.

• Marcali M., Chen X., Aucoin M.G., and Ren C.L., Droplet formation of biological non-Newtonian fluid in T-junction generators. I. Experimental investigation, Physical Review E, Volume 105, Canada, 2022.

• Marcali M., Chen X., Aucoin M.G., and Ren C.L., Droplet formation of biological non-Newtonian fluid in T-junction generators. II. Model for final droplet volume prediction, Physical Review E, Volume 105, Canada, 2022.

• Logan M., Rinas K., McConkey B., and Aucoin M.G., Vero cells gain renal tubule markers in low-calcium and magnesium chemically defined media, Scientific Reports, Volume 12, Canada, 2022.

• University of Waterloo developing DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine