Martins BEKERS
Born: August 31, 1928, Madona, Latvia
Interests:
- Food and Environmental Biotechnology: Fermentation Process,
Cell Immobilisation
- Industrial Microbiology: Yeasts, Lactic Acid Bacteria,
Acetic Acid Bacteria, Zymomonas mobilis
- Physiology of Primary Metabolites Producers , Osmotolerance
- Anabiosis of Microorganisms
- Biofuel Problems - Bioethanol, Biogas
- Closed Biotechnological Systems
Languages: Latvian, English, Russian, German
Education:
- Latvia University of Agriculture (Faculty of Food
Technology), 1953
- Dr. sc. ing. (Candidate of Sciences in former USSR, Ph. D.
in Western countries),
Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1959
- Dr. habil. biol. (Doctor of Science in former USSR),
Institute of Food Technology, Kiev, Ukraine, 1979
Experience:
- Engineer, Riga Yeast Factory, 1953-1959
- Engineer and Researcher, Latvian Food Technology and Design
Office, 1959-1962
- Senior Researcher, Head of Laboratory of Industrial
Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1962-1993
- Deputy Director, Institute of Microbiology, 1962-1991
- Professor, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Riga Technical University, 1972-1995
- Director, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology,
University of Latvia, 1993-1997
- Professor, Head of Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology
and Food Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1993-
- State Emeritus Scientist, 2000 -
Honours and Awards:
- Corresponding Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1973
- Full Member, Latvian Academy of
Sciences, 1978
- Honorary Doctoral Degree, Dr.h.c. (Food Technology), Latvia University of Agriculture, 1989
- Full Member, Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science of
Latvia, 1993
- The Latvian SSR State
Prize, 1965, 1980
- The Latvian Academy of Sciences A.Kirchensteins Prize, 1986
- The Merited Scientist of Latvia, 1978
- The Gold (2) and Silver (3) Medals of USSR Exhibition of
National Economy Achievements (1970-1980)
- Honorary Member, All-Union (USSR) Society of Microbiology
- S. Vavilov Medal (All-Union Scientific Society), 1984
- The Latvian Academy of Sciences Presidium Award (4),
(1970-1980)
- The Latvian Academy of Sciences H.Skuja Prize, 1998
- The Latvian Academy of Sciences Grand Medal, 2000
- The Latvian Academy of Sciences and joint-ctock company
"Aldaris" Prize, 2000
- State Emeritus Scientist, 2000 -
- The Three Star Order of the Republic of Latvia, 2003
- The Latvia University of Agriculture Professor's J. Abolins
Prize, 2007
Professional Activities and Memberships:
- President, Latvian Biotechnology Association, 1990-
- Member of Presidium, All-Union (USSR) Society of
Microbiology, 1980-1985
- Member of Scientific Council, Institute of Microbiology,
1962-1993
- Member, All-Union (USSR) Problem Council for Physiology and
Biochemistry of Microorganisms, 1974-1982
- Member of Advisory Boards for:
Biotechnology (Multi-volume
comprehensive treatise), 2nd Edition, H. J. Rhem and G.Reed (ed.), 1991-
Encyclopaedia of Soviet Latvia,
1981-1988
Journals:
Microbiology,
Moscow, 1974-1984
Applied Microbiology
and Biotechnology, 1982-1988
Acta Biotechnologica,
1980-
Proceedings of Latvian Academy of Sciences,
1980-1990
- Representative from Latvia, General Assembly of the
European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB), 1980-1999
- Member of Working party Physiology of
Microorganisms, EFB, 1990-1998
- Member of Working party Environmental
Biotechnology, EFB, 1990-
- Member of the International Commission on Yeasts and
Yeast-Like Organisms, Union of Microbiological Societies, 1990-
- Chairman, The Latvian Academy of Sciences Henrichs Skuja
Prize (in Biology) Committee, 1993-
- Chairman, The Latvian Academy of Sciences Paulis Lejins
Prize (in Agriculture) Committee, 1993-
- Member, Latvian Council of
Science, 1991-1994
- Member, Latvian Council of Science Expert Commitee
(Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Biotechnology), 1991-2007
- Chairman , Latvian Council for State Emeritus Scientists,
1995-2004
- Chairman of Scientific Council, Institute of Microbiology
and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, 1996-2005
- Member, Latvian Society of Microbiology, 1962-
Lectures:
- Mass conversion and heat production during aerobic
biosynthesis of L-lysine by Brevibacterium sp. X International Congress of
Microbiology, Mexico, 1970.
- Some aspects of submerge culture intensification.
International Symposium on Advances in Microbial Engineering, Marionske Lazne,
Czechosl., 1972.
- Recovery and growth of dried yeast Saccharomyces
cerevisia. 3rd International Specialised Symposium on Yeasts, Finland, 1973.
- Biomembranes of yeast during dehydration - rehydration.
Sixth International specialised symposium on yeast. Montpeller, France, 1978.
- Development of microbial and enzyme biotechnology in
Latvia. US/USSR Conference, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1979.
- Anaerobic fermentation of plant juice and evaluation of
fermentation products. VI International Fermentation Symposium and V International
Symposium an Yeast. London (Ontario, Canada), 1980.
- Growth and dehydration of yeasts which use
starch-containing substrates. VIII Intern. specialised symp. on yeasts. Bombay, 1983.
- Wet green crop fractionation: small-scale operation in the
USSR. 3rd Intern. Conf. on Leaf Protein Research. Italy - Pisa, Perusia, Viterbo, 1989.
- Closed and semiclosed biotechnological systems for
agriculture. Workshop Bioprocess Technology for Closed Cycle
Production. Graz, Austria, 1990.
- Wasteless processing products of photosynthesis and
enhancement of soil. Microsymposium Problems of Environmental
Biotechnology. Working party Environmental Biotechnology EFB, Riga, 1993.
- Bioenergy and bioenergy related research in Latvia. IEA
Bionergy conference. Oslo, 1995.
- Closed biotechnological system for the manufacture of
non-food products from grain. Intern. Conference Cereals: Novel Uses and
Processes. Manchester, 1996.
- Recent research in bioethanol production. Workshop,
Sounion, GR, 1996
- Stabilisation of immobilized cells systems using a modified
metal surface, fructose polymer levan and high cell concentration. Symposium, Cordoba,
1998.
- Enzymatic and bacterial fermentation of coat mush for
functional food production. Forum for Applied Biotechnology, Brugge
(Belgium), 1998.
- Functional food. Latvian Academy of Sciences, 1999.
Courses:
Recent/Representative publications:
- Dehydration of Microbial Biomass and Extracellular
Metabolites, 1967, Riga: Zinatne, 361 pp. (in Russian).
- V. Bekere, M. Bekers. Lysine by Microbial Synthesis, 1974,
Riga:Zinatne, 124 pp. (in Russian and Latvian).
- Introduction in Biotechnology, 1974, Riga: Zvaigzne ,
211 pp. (in Latvian);1978, Moscow: Food Industry Press, 231 pp. (in Russian).
- M. Bekers (Ed.) et. al. Biotechnology of Microbial
Synthesis, 1980, Riga: Zinatne, 350 pp. (in Russian).
- M. Bekers, B. Damberga, A. Rapoport. Anabiosis at
Microorganisms. 1981, Riga: Zinatne , 247 pp. (in Russian).
- M. Bekers, G. Liepins, J. Raipulis. Horizons of
Biotechnology. 1987, Riga: Avots , 219 pp. (in Latvian).
- M. Bekers, G. Liepins, J. Raipulis. Biotechnology, 1990,
Moscow: Agropromizdat , 333 pp. (in Russian).
- M. Bekers (Ed.) et. al. Transformation Products of
Photosynthesis, 1984, Riga: Zinatne, 246 pp. (in Russian).
- M.Bekers, A.Vigants. Chapter: Production of alcohol
for fuel and organic solvents. - In: Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems
(EOLSS) UNESCO, 2001
- M. Bekers, A. Rapoports. Conservation of yeasts by
dehydration. - Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, 1987, vol. 35. pp. 127-174.
- M. Bekers, J. Shvinka, L. Pankova, M. Laivenieks, I.
Mezhbarde. A simultaneous sucrose conversion into ethanol and levan by Zymomonas
mobilis. - Appl. Biochemistry and Biotechnol., 1990, 24/25, pp. 265-274.
- Vigants A., Zikmanis P., Bekers M. Sucrose medium
osmolality as a regulator of anabolic and catabolic parameters in Zymomonas culture. - Acta
Biotechnologica, 1996, N 4., pp. 321-327.
- Rapoport A., Khroustalyova G., Camanis G., Bekers M.
Anhydrobiosis of yeasts: permeability of the plasma membrane. - Microbiology, 1995, vol.
64., N 1, pp. 229-232 (in English version of the journal).
- M. Beker, P. Zikmanis, A. Vigants et. al. Influence of
growth medium osmolality on levan production by Zymomonas mobilis. 7th European
Congress on Biotechnology. Abstract Book, v.4. Nice. 1995, p. 55.
- Marauska M., Vigants A., Klincare A., Upite D., Kaminska
E., Bekers M. Influence of water activity and medium osmolality on growth and acid
production of Lactobacillus casei var. alactosus. - Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci.,
1996., vol. 50, Nr. 3, pp. 144-146.
- Laukevics J., Bekers M., Danilevics A., Kaminska E.,
Lisovska A., Upite D., Vigants A. Suitability of some sorts of grain for ethanol
fermentation in Latvia. - Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci., 1996, vol. 50, N 3, pp. 137-139.
- Linde R., Gonta S., Karsakevich A., Vìna I., Bekers M. A
method of purification and characteristics of Zymomonas mobilis 113 s levan. - Proc.
Latvian Acad. Sci. 1996., vol. 50, N 3, pp. 140-143.
- M. Bekers. Biofuel production as a component of closed
biotechnological system. - Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci, 1995, N 9/10, pp. 113-120.
- Auzina L., Kruce R., Upite D., Bekers M. Apple juice
fermentation by liquid and dry instant wine yeast. - Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci. , 1996,
vol. 50, N 3, pp. 130-132.
- M. Bekers et. al. Lysine technologies and producers - USSR
Authors certificates # 171727 (1964); 258845 (1967); 240644 (1968); 279621 (1969);
344734 (1970); 432894 (1971); 378411 (1971); 386006 (1972); 453931 (1973); 496300 (1973);
507634 (1973); 494040 (1973); 502019 (1973); 554855 (1974); 625412 (1976); 671384 (1976);
656341 (1976); 820221 (1976); 656340 (1976); 659620 (1976); 751097 (1980); 751097 (1976);
671384 (1976); 681925 (1977); 732377 (1977); 738395 (1978); 778256 (1978); 1179661 (1983);
1249938 (1984); 174611 (1989).
- A. Klincare, M. Bekers, I. Ramane, V. Auzina, D. Upite, V.
Lupmane, I. Leimane, R. Are, Â. Lisovska. Bacterial strain Lactobacillus casei var.
alactosus - producer of L(+) lactic acid. - LV 5677, 1992, Int. Cl. C12P7/56.
- M. Bekers, J. Svinka, J. Raipulis, M. Laivenieks, L.
Pankova, I. Mezbarde. Zymomonas mobilis strain 113s. - LV 5709, 1993. Int. Cl.
C12P19/04.
- M.Bekers, J.Laukevics, D.Upite, E.Kaminska, A.Karsakevica,
I.Vina, E.Ventina, A.Vigants, S.Gonta, R.Linde. Inoculation of microbial cells culture
immobilized in poreous carrier. - LV 11973 B, 1997. Int. C12N11/00.
- M.Bekers, M.Marauska, J.Laukevics, M.Grube, D.Karklina,
U.Viesturs, A.Vigants. Production of polyfunctional food products from grain. - LV 123304
B, 1999.
- A.Karsakevich, E.Ventina, I.Vina, M.Bekers, S.Gonta,
R.Linde, E.Kaminska. The effect of chemical treatment of stainless wire surface on
Zymmomonas mobilis cell attachment and product synthesis. - Acta Biotechnologica, 1998,
vol. 18, N 2, pp. 255-265.
- M.Bekers, R.Linde, A.Danilevich, E.Kaminska, D.Upite,
A.Vigants, R.Scherbaka. Sugar beet diffusion juice and syrup as media for ethanol and
levan production by Zymomonas mobilis. - Food Biotechnology, 1999, vol. 13, N 1,
pp. 107-119.
- M.Bekers, M.Marauska, M.Grube, U.Viesturs, J.Laukevics,
A.Vigants, D.Karklina. Oat based polyfunctional food. - In: Proc. 13th Forum for
Applied Biotechnology. Gent, Sept. 22-23, 1999, Part II, pp. 589-592.
- M.Bekers, E.Ventina, A.Karsakevica, I.Vina, et.al.
Attachment of yeast to modified stainless steel wire spheres, growth of cells and ethanol
production. - Process Biochemistry, 2000, vol. 35, pp. 523-530.
- M.Bekers, A.Vigants, J.Laukevics, M.Toma, A.Rapoports,
P.Zikmanis. The effect of osmoinduced stress on product formation by Zymomonas mobilis on
sucrose. - Int. J. Food Microbiol., 2000, N 55, pp. 147-150.
- I.Vina, A.Karsakevich, M.Bekers. Stabilization of
anti-leukemic enzyme L-asparaginase by immobilization on polysaccharide levan. - J.
Mol. Catalysis B: Enzymatic, 2001, pp. 551-558.
- M.Bekers. Bioconversion of agricultural biomass into
protein, lysine, biofuel and valuable food products. - Proc. Latv. Acad.
Sci., B, 2001, vol. 55, N 2/3, pp. 117-123.
- M.Bekers, R.Linde, D.Upite, E.Kaminska, U.Viesturs. Sugar
beet juice fermentation by Zymmomonas mobilis attached to stainless steel wire spheres. - Acta
Biotechnologica, 2001, vol. 21, pp. 89-96.
- M.Bekers, M.Marauska, J.Laukevics, M.Grube, A,Vigants, D.Karklina, L.Skudra, U.Viesturs.
Oats and fat-free milk based functional food. - Food
Biotechnology, 2001, vol. 15, N 1, pp. 1-12.
- M.Bekers, M.Marauska, J.Laukevics, M.Grube, A,Vigants, D.Karklina, L.Skudra, U.Viesturs.
Oats and fat-free milk based functional food. - Food
Biotechnology, 2001, vol. 15, N 1, pp. 1-12.
- M.Grube, M.Bekers, D.Upite, E.Kaminska. IR-spetroscopic studies of Zymomonas mobilis
and levan precipitate. - Vibrational Spectroscopy, 2002, vol. 28, pp.
277-285.
- Bekers M., Upite D., Kaminska E., Grube M., Laukevics J., Vina I., Vigants A., Zikmanis
P. Fructan biosynthesis by intra- and extracellular Zymomonas mobilis levansucrase after
simultaneous production of ethanol and levan. - Acta Biotechnologica, 2003, N 1,
pp. 85-93.
- Bekers M., Upite D., Kaminska E., Laukevics J., Ionina R., Vigants A. Catalytic activity
of Zymomonas mobilis extracellular Levan-levansucrase complex in sucrose
medium. - Proceedings of 17th Forum for applied biotechnology, Gent, Proceedings
part I, 2003, pp. 321-324.
- Vigants A., Marx S., Linde R., Ore S., Bekers M., Vina I., Hicke H. A novel and simple
method for the purification of extracellular levansucrase from Zymomonas mobilis. - Current
Microbiology, 2003, vol. 47, N 3, pp. 198-202.
- Bekers M., Marauska M., Grube M., Karklina D., Duma M. New prebiotics for functional
food. - Acta Alimentarica, 2004, vol.33, N 1, pp. 31-37.
- P.Semjonovs, M.Marauska, M.Bekers, M.Grube, R.Linde. Utilisation of fructans by Bifidobacterium
lacticum 12. - Engineering in Life Sciences, 2004, vol. 4, pp. 433-437.
- M.Bekers, D.Upite, E.Kaminska , J.Laukevics, M.Grube, A.Vigants, R.Linde.
Stability of levan produced by Zymomonas mobilis . - Process
Biochemistry, 2005, vol. 40,N 5, pp. 1535-1539.
- M.Bekers, M.Grube, D.Upite, E.Kaminska , R.Linde, R.Scherbaka, A. Danilevich.
Carbohydrates in Jerusalem artichoke powder suspensions tuber systems. - Nutrition and
Food Science, 2007, vol. 37, N 1, pp. 42-49.
Research Projects:
- M. Bekers. Intensification of the Bakers Yeast Dehydration
Using Fluidised Bed Method. Riga Yeast Factory (1953-1958).
- M. Bekers (Head of Project). The Development of Vitamin B12
Technology by Methane Fermentation of Distilleries Wastes. Latvian Ministry of Food
Industry (1961-1964).
- M. Bekers (Head of Project). The Development of L-lysine
Feed Concentrate Technology. Latvian Academy of Sciences (1963-1975).
- M. Bekers (Head of Project). The Anabiosis of
Microorganisms:- Physiology and Biotechnology. Latvian Academy of Sciences (1962-1985).
- M. Bekers (Head of Project). Transformation Products of
Photosynthesis (Leaf Protein, Biogas). Latvian Academy of Sciences (1976-1986).
- M. Bekers (Head of Project). Microbial Biosynthesis of
Biologically Active Compounds. Latvian Academy of Sciences (1985-1993).
- M. Bekers (Head of Project). Biosynthesis of Primary
Metabolites and Storage Polymers by Zymomonas mobilis and Lactobacillus;
Influence of Medium Osmolality and Turbidity. Latvian Council of Science (1991-1996).
- M. Bekers (Head of Project). Technological Properties of
Grain Produced in Latvia. Ministry of Agriculture (1994-1995).
- M. Bekers (Head of Latvian Part of Project in cooperation
with South Jitland University). Plant Juices as Raw Material for Biotechnology (1994-1996).
- M. Bekers (Head of Project). L-Lysine Production Using
Byproducts of Distillery. ALKO, Finland (1990-1993).
- M. Bekers (Head of Project). Extracellular Product
Synthesis by Zymomonas mobilis Using Immobilised Cell Systems and Physiology of
Immobilised Culture. Latvian Council of Science (1997-1999).
- M. Bekers (Head of Programme). The Development of
Technology for Biofuel Production in Latvia. Latvian Council of Science (1997-2000).
- M. Bekers (Head of Joint Project). Biofuel Production
Technology and the Possibility of Its Implementation in Latvia. Latvian Council of
Science (2001 - 2004).
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Last update 12.02.2008