Conference scene: recent advancements in microscale bioprocess development

Advances in genetics, as well as molecular and cellular biology, are continually fueling innovations in the biopharmaceutical sector. Increasingly specialized therapies are emerging that offer exciting prospects for the treatment of human diseases. Defining a suitable manufacturing route for each therapeutic product, however, can often present a significant challenge. There is a growing trend in the biopharmaceutical sector to use microscale models (that mimic key manufacturing steps) during the early stages of process development, as such technologies enable key process information to be accrued rapidly and at relatively low costs. The 2nd Annual Miniaturisation conference, organized by Euroscicon, brought together 34 delegates from industry and academia for a lively discussion of the current state-of-the-art in microscale bioprocess technologies.