To optimize Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell culture to recombinant protein therapeutic production, we stably overexpressed survivin and cyclin D1 in three CHO DG44-derived cell lines. The modifications conferred increases of 56-94% in S-phase fractions and decreases of 33-43% in early-stage apoptosis fractions. Clone 6.3, which expressed the highest levels of survivin and cyclin D1, reached significantly greater cell densities in suspension (2.7 x 10(6) cells/ml) following serum deprivation. Nude mice inoculated with the modified cells showed no tumorigenesis suggesting that the CHO DG44-derived cell lines are viable candidates for biopharmaceutical production.