Upstream Processing

Shear-Proof Design Space: Scaling Stirred-Tank Bioreactors for Cell Culture Processes

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Establishing a cell culture process across different scales and models of bioreactors involves maintaining constant scale-independent parameters such as pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen (DO). However, nonlinear and scale-dependent criteria (impeller agitation and gas flow rates) are adjusted on the basis of multiple normalized engineering parameters to accommodate the geometrical and design differences among bioreactors (1–3). Normalized engineering approaches for scaling parameterization often are based on the shear generated by impeller speed and gas flow rates. Kinetic energy transmitted into…

February 9, 2023

Shaken or Stirred: Comparing Rocking-Motion and Impeller Technology in Cell Cultivation

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For decades, stirred-tank reactors (STRs) have been the gold standard in cell cultivation, particularly in large-scale processes. However, rocking-motion (RM) technology offers an efficient alternative that can be a better choice for certain applications. In a November 2022 webinar, Tobias Schenk (product manager at Sartorius) discussed the two technologies, highlighting the strengths of each and how they can be used in tandem for optimal results. The Presentation RM bioreactor technology mixes nutrients into cell culture media using a wave motion…

February 9, 2023

Cell-Expansion Benefits Using Hollow-Fiber Bioreactor Technology

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In a November 2022 webinar, Stuart Gibb (scientific strategy lead from Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies) explained the benefits of hollow-fiber bioreactors (HFBRs) for cell therapy. They are suitable for both adherent and suspension-adapted cells. Terumo’s bioreactors are designed to enable flexible feeding and waste-management strategies, which are key features that can facilitate optimal cell growth. The Presentation Gibb presented Terumo’s Quantum Flex HFBR platform, which the company launched in September 2022. Bioreactors for the Quantum Flex platform come in…

February 9, 2023

Accelerating Early Upstream Screening Activities for Viral Vector Therapies

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Biopharmaceuticals delivered by viral vectors (VVs) face distinctive obstacles during early upstream development. In October 2022, Andres Castillo (a portfolio manager at Sartorius) noted that drug makers set short development timelines to hasten therapies into the clinical evaluation. Doing so limits time for analyzing complex biointeractions, and studies for culture-media and VV screening are time- and resource-intensive. Castillo and Shanya Jiang (also a portfolio manager at Sartorius) explored how integrated technologies facilitate robust cell-line and VV screening. The Presentation Reflecting…

December 6, 2022

Deciphering Nutritional Needs in Bioprocess Optimization: Targeted and Untargeted Metabolomics with Genome-Scale Modeling

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Microbiology has risen as a major part of global industry over the past three decades. Industrial microbiology, biotechnology, biopharma and now biointelligent production systems (1) embrace a wide range of manufacturing platforms and product areas involving microbes, animal cells, and plant cells — as well as whole organisms. The multibillion-dollar applications of biomanufacturing display great variety. They include microbial-based production of such valuable metabolites as amino acids, vitamins, solvents, and organic acids as well as larger products such as enzymes,…

October 20, 2022

Recombinant Protein Expression with a Baculovirus–Insect Cell System

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Proteins create cellular matrices, catalyze biochemical reactions, and form signaling pathways to respond to external stimuli. Studies of protein structure and function increase researchers’ understanding about the foundations of life. However, because most proteins are difï¬cult to obtain commercially, it is important to establish sources that can provide researchers with plentiful supplies of proteins. In recombinant protein expression, a gene encoding a protein of interest is cloned into an expression vector (usually a plasmid) and transferred into a host cell…

October 20, 2022

Increasing Reproducibility of Cell Culture Bioprocesses

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Reproducible cell growth and reliable development of a desired product are ideal outcomes for a bioprocessing engineer. If reproducibility is poor, the risk of needing to discard a batch and repeat an entire bioprocess is high and results in a great loss of time and resources. Cells, culture media, and a bioprocess control system are required components of an upstream bioprocess. Each of those can be a source of variability that affects cell growth and viability as well as product…

September 28, 2022

Synthetic Biology for Adapting CHO Cells to Challenging Bioprocesses

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Biopharmaceuticals are produced mainly by Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines, for which advances in protein formats, bioprocesses, and bioprocess control are introducing novel challenges (1). Thus far, those challenges have been tackled either by technical innovations and media optimization or by advances in host-cell engineering (2, 3). Some technical innovations bring further challenges, such as those related to the compatibility of CHO cultures with highly automated bioprocesses and continuous high-density culture modes (4). With regard to host-cell engineering, most…

September 28, 2022

Raman Spectrometric PAT Models: Successful Transfer from Minibioreactors to Larger-Scale, Stirred-Tank Bioreactors

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Spectroscopic sensors are powerful tools for bioprocess monitoring within the process analytical technology (PAT) initiative of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The PAT framework includes process understanding based on scientific background with the aim of monitoring and controlling critical process parameters (CPPs) that influence critical quality attributes (CQAs) of final biological products. The driving force for PAT implementation is a need to realize consistent product quality, process intensification, and real-time manufacturing control (1, 2). Using real-time spectroscopic measurements…

September 28, 2022

Deriving Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Umbilical Cord Lining and Wharton’s Jelly: A Comparative Study of Extraction Methods and Culture Media

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Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent, self-renewing progenitor cells that can differentiate into adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteocytes (1). Cultured MSCs are plastic-adherent and spindle-shaped, and they express cell-surface markers CD44, CD73, CD90, and CD105, but not CD14, CD34, CD45, CD11b, CD79a, CD19, or HLA-DR (2, 3). First isolated from bone marrow (BM), human MSCs have been investigated extensively in clinical studies. MSCs also have been isolated from adipose tissue (4) and peripheral blood (5). Perinatal organs and tissues such as…

September 28, 2022