Microfluidic biolector-microfluidic bioprocess control in microtiter plates

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Bioprocess Engineering
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Industrial-scale cell cultivation relies on controlled pH and fed-batch strategies.
• Small-scale cultivations typically use simple batch methods without process control.
• This discrepancy hinders scale-up and scale-down due to altered microbial metabolism and kinetics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel microfermentation system for high-throughput, controlled small-scale cultivations.
• To address the limitations of current small-scale batch experiments.
• To enable precise process control in microscale fermentation.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a fiber-optic online-monitoring device (BioLector technology) with microfluidic chips.
• Implementation of a micropump for controlled substrate feeding (fed-batch) in volumes below 1 mL.
• Application in fermentations of Escherichia coli under pH-controlled and fed-batch conditions in shaken microtiter plates (MTPs).

Main Results:

• A user-friendly microfermentation system providing high information output on a microscale.
• Demonstration of parallelized and automated experiments using MTPs.
• Successful application in controlled Escherichia coli fermentations.

Conclusions:

• The novel microfermentation system offers a simple, high-throughput solution for controlled small-scale cultivations.
• It bridges the gap between small-scale batch experiments and industrial-scale processes.
• The system is easily transferable to disposable single-use applications.