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Updated: Apr 5, 2026
08:04
Design of a Biaxial Mechanical Loading Bioreactor for Tissue Engineering
Published on: April 25, 2013
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Recent advances in systems engineering approaches to integrated strain and bioprocess development
Jennifer N Hennigan1, Maximillian Golovsky1, Utsuki Yano2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Trends in Biotechnology
|April 4, 2026
Summary
Systems engineering can improve bioprocessing by integrating upstream and downstream steps. Holistic approaches are crucial for aligning academic research with industrial needs and achieving commercial success.
Area of Science:
- Bioprocess Engineering
- Chemical Manufacturing
- Systems Engineering
Background:
- Bioprocessing lags behind chemical manufacturing in adopting comprehensive systems engineering approaches.
- Current bioprocess development often involves optimizing subsystems in isolation, limiting overall performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review strategies for engineering integrated upstream and downstream bioprocesses.
- To identify key leverage points for applying systems engineering in bioprocessing.
- To address the misalignment between academic bioprocess research and industrial requirements.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of systems engineering strategies in bioprocessing.
- Analysis of current bioprocess optimization practices.
- Identification of four key leverage points for integrative bioprocess design.
Main Results:
- Bioprocess subsystems are frequently optimized in isolation, hindering performance.
- Key leverage points include engineering product accessibility, modifying strains, adapting products for purification, and enhancing strain tolerance.
- Integrative approaches significantly improve process consolidation.
Conclusions:
- A holistic systems perspective is essential for transformative impact in bioprocessing.
- Significant misalignment exists between academic research and commercially relevant industrial metrics.
- Future bioprocess development must bridge the gap between research and industry needs.
Keywords:
bioprocess engineeringbioprocess optimizationdownstream processingsystems engineeringsystems integrationupstream processingMore Related Videos
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