A robotic solution allows for fully automated cultivation control for bioprocess development
Parallelized small-scale bioreactor experiments are often used in bioprocess development to boost time and cost efficiency of optimization efforts. That efficiency is restricted, however, when sampling and analytical procedures are carried out manually. Then, high throughput is either labor-intensive or unattainable, and the lag between sampling and analysis results prevents implementing monitor-and-adjust feedback loops.
The goal in many labs is to reduce hands on interventions towards fully integrated, automated workflows, by integrating high-throughput analyzers that perform atline determination of cell density, metabolites, and substrates. Applying a moving robot allows for a high grade of integration even if the analyzer is not located adjacent to the bio-reactor platform - even if it is placed in a different room than the cultivation platform.
Therefore, instrument footprints and available laboratory space do not have to hinder the flow of samples and data any more.