Latest innovations in bioreactor designs

Bioreactor design has seen numerous innovations in recent years, driven by advancements in technology, materials, and our understanding of biological processes.

Here are some of the latest innovations in bioreactor design as per research demand.

Single-use

bioreactors Single-use bioreactors have gained popularity in biopharmaceutical manufacturing due to their flexibility and cost-effectiveness. These bioreactors are designed for single-time use, eliminating the need for cleaning and sterilization. They are particularly advantageous for small to mid-scale production (1).

Perfusion bioreactors

Perfusion bioreactors maintain a continuous flow of media through the bioreactor, providing a steady supply of nutrients and removing waste products. This approach allows for higher cell densities and longer cultivation times, making it ideal for applications like monoclonal antibody production (2).

Multi-compartment bioreactors

These bioreactors have multiple compartments that can host different cell types or conditions within the same reactor. They are valuable for co-culturing different cell types or creating gradient environments to simulate in vivo conditions (3).

Microfluidic bioreactors

Microfluidic bioreactors are small-scale devices that use microfluidics technology to provide cells with fresh medium. This enables precise control and manipulation over the microenvironments of biological systems. They are often used for cell culture, drug screening, and tissue engineering (4).

Single-cell bioreactors

Designed for the cultivation of single cells, these bioreactors are used for clonal cell line development and studying individual cell behavior. They help isolate and analyze high-producing cells for biopharmaceutical production (5).

3D-Printed bioreactors

3D printing technology is used to create customized bioreactor components, such as impellers and mixing chambers. These components can be tailored to specific research or production needs, improving efficiency, and reducing costs (6).

Miniaturized bioreactors

Miniaturized bioreactors are compact, often disposable systems that can run multiple experiments in parallel. They are ideal for high-throughput screening, optimization studies, and reducing resource consumption (7).

In-line monitoring and control

Bioreactors now incorporate in-line sensors for real-time monitoring of parameters like biomass, metabolite levels, and protein titer. Automated control systems adjust conditions based on this data to optimize production (8).

These innovations in bioreactor design are advancing various fields, including biopharmaceutical production, regenerative medicine, and bioprocess research. They enable more efficient and controlled cell cultivation, leading to improved product quality, reduced costs, and increased research capabilities.

References

1. Nogueira DES, Cabral JMS, Rodrigues CAV. Single-Use Bioreactors for Human Pluripotent and Adult Stem Cells: Towards Regenerative Medicine Applications. Bioengineering (Basel). 2021 May 17;8(5):68. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering8050068. PMID: 34067549; PMCID: PMC8156863.

2. Schmid J, Schwarz S, Meier-Staude R, Sudhop S, Clausen-Schaumann H, Schieker M, Huber R. A Perfusion Bioreactor System for Cell Seeding and Oxygen-Controlled Cultivation of Three-Dimensional Cell Cultures. Tissue Eng Part C Methods. 2018 Oct;24(10):585-595. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEC.2018.0204. PMID: 30234443; PMCID: PMC6208160.

3. Janvier AJ, Canty-Laird E, Henstock JR. A universal multi-platform 3D printed bioreactor chamber for tendon tissue engineering. J Tissue Eng. 2020 Sep 1;11:2041731420942462. doi: 10.1177/2041731420942462. PMID: 32944210; PMCID: PMC7469720.

4. Bourguignon N, Karp P, Attallah C, Chamorro DA, Oggero M, Booth R, Ferrero S, Bhansali S, Pérez MS, Lerner B, Helguera G. Large Area Microfluidic Bioreactor for Production of Recombinant Protein. Biosensors (Basel). 2022 Jul 14;12(7):526. doi: 10.3390/bios12070526. PMID: 35884329; PMCID: PMC9313365.

5. Meier SM, Huebner H, Buchholz R. Single-cell-bioreactors as end of miniaturization approaches in biotechnology: progresses with characterised bioreactors and a glance into the future. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng. 2005 Nov;28(2):95-107. doi: 10.1007/s00449-005-0003-6. Epub 2005 Nov 5. PMID: 16096764.

6. Priyadarshini BM, Dikshit V, Zhang Y. 3D-printed Bioreactors for In Vitro Modeling and Analysis. Int J Bioprint. 2020 Aug 18;6(4):267. doi: 10.18063/ijb.v6i4.267. PMID: 33088992; PMCID: PMC7557350.

7. Achinas S, Heins JI, Krooneman J, Euverink GJW. Miniaturization and 3D Printing of Bioreactors: A Technological Mini Review. Micromachines (Basel). 2020 Sep 14;11(9):853. doi: 10.3390/mi11090853. PMID: 32937842; PMCID: PMC7570152.

8. Hamilton Company: https://www.hamiltoncompany.com/process-analytics/process-analytical-technology/bioprocess-monitoring-and-control