(328b) 15b Plenary Lecture: Rapid Bioprocess Development Using Microwell and Miniature Bioreactor Technologies

The need for greater speed during the development of fermentation and cell culture processes has focussed much attention onto the development and application of miniaturised and high throughput devices, operating at scales ranging from 0.1 to 10s of millilitres. In this presentation I will introduce technologies for parallel bioprocess development focussing on shaken microwell systems areated via the gas-liquid surface and miniature stirred tank reactors. To enable process scale-up we have carried out a detailed engineering characterisation of power input, liquid phase mixing and oxygen mass transfer in these devices. The engineering parameters obtained are used to define suitable criteria for translation of optimised small scale culture conditions to laboratory scale bioreactors. Examples for the application of these technologies for fermentation and cell culture process development and scale-up will be given.