The following Case Studies highlight the Centre's core capability in bioprocess mathematics and illustrate some of the on-going R&D themes.

Case Study 01.

Progressive chemometrics accelerate the next-generation of bioprocess control

In recent years the techniques for bioprocesses monitoring have significantly advanced with the use of spectroscopic instruments such as NIR that enable non-invasive real-time measurements of metabolites, small molecule products and cell concentrations. While these instruments offer the potential for significant improvements, their impact to date has been restricted by a combination of design and operational issues and a limited ability to process and interpret complex high-dimensional spectral data.

In collaboration with a leading UK pharmaceutical company, the BBTC investigated the potential to improve on-line process monitoring by fusion of multiple data sets. A series of mammalian cell bioreactors were carried out with on-line data collection including NIR spectra and pH and dissolved oxygen readings. These diverse data sets were processed, weighted and fused using several alternative methods. The acuracy of analyte estimates were reproducibly improved by 100% demonstrating the potential of spectral analysis and the importance of obtaining value from existing process data. The progressive model is now being optimised and extended to enable fusion of additional data sets. The approach promises to accelerate the next-generation of bioprocess control.

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Case Study 02.

Scientific approach to deliver optimised plant cleaning process

Conventional plant cleaning processes can be surprisingly unsophisticated and inefficient, typically following tried-and-true practices that were developed before energy efficiency was a priority and which lend confidence through excess. Cleaning processes can occupy up to 50% or more of plant time, thereby compounding the issue of rising energy cost with plant inactivity and process inflexibility. The BBTC is part of the ZEAL (Zero Emission by Advanced Cleaning) consortium that is seeking to optimise cleaning processes based on process knowledge and the application of scientific principles.

Funded by the Technical Strategy Board (TSB), the vision of the ZEAL project is to move up the waste treatment hierarchy by integrated inter-disciplinary collaboration on topics of design for cleaning, new instrumentation, new cleaning products, cleaning assurance & hygienic security and knowledge transfer. ZEAL Members include industrial partners GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Unilever HPC, Scottish & Newcastle brewery, Cadbury, Bruker Optics, AlfaLaval, GEA, Ecolab, and three Universities – the Schools of Chemical Engineering at Birmingham, Imperial College London and Newcastle University.

The study includes the assessment of new spectroscopic devices alongside conventional instruments as part of a practical approach made possible by the combined expertise of the consortium, including the BBTC's mathematical expertise in data processing and analysis. Through the application of chemical engineering principles, a fully-scientific closed-loop cleaning cycle will be achieved which will reduce both cleaning time and batch-to-batch variation. The new method will enable plant cleaning to be managed on a fully rational basis, with a prediction and a confidence level. The method will be utilised by consortium partners across diverse industry sectors of pharmaceuticals, chemicals and consumer products

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Case Study 03.

Algal Biofuels Consortium/
Scottish BioEnergy

Through the Technology Strategy Board's Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTNs), the BBTC is engaged in the broader national initiative to accelerate the uptake of new technologies and the development of new industry supply chains. In 2009/10 the BBTC worked with the BiosciencesKTN to accelerate the development of UK capability in algal biofuels. This work is summarised in the attached PDF. Algae are an important source of renewable feedstock because they grow rapidly to form oil-rich biomass without requiring arable land or fresh water, hence production of algae does not compete with food production.

+ Download KTNs PDF

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Case Study 04.

Student Projects

The EngD student projects are generally modular to effectively serve the changing needs of industry partners over the 4 years of the programme. The project areas contained in the student profiles illustrate the variety of bioprocess projects spanning biopharmaceuticals, pharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine, industrial biotechnology and food.

+ 03.03.Student Profiles