Sartorius PI Forum Germany 2026 — It's time to intensify
September 15–17, 2026 · Germany
Join us as the Sartorius PI Forum returns to Göttingen for two days dedicated to the latest developments, insights, and innovations in process intensification for proteins and new modalities. After two inspiring editions in Göttingen (2024) and Boston (2025), this year’s forum once again brings together global industry experts to explore flexible manufacturing, digitalization, automation, and sustainability, as well as the latest process solutions such as Pionic® platform that are driving more efficient, scalable, and sustainable biomanufacturing.
Engage in data-driven presentations, hands-on workshops, and interactive demonstrations at the Application Center to gain valuable insights into cutting-edge technologies and successful PI strategies that are shaping the future of the biopharmaceutical industry.
Expect small-group breakout sessions, hands-on workshops, interactive presentations, panel discussions and tours, all designed to help you contribute to — and benefit from — the growing PI Forum community.
Wrap up your PI Forum week with the optional on-site Design-to-Delivery Day in Guxhagen on September 17.
Speakers
Spotlight confirmed Speakers
Meet our Confirmed Speakers
Weichang Zhou
Chief Technology Officer | MediLink Therapeutics
Dr. Weichang Zhou, CTO of MediLink Therapeutics, previously held leadership roles at Merck, PDL BioPharma, Genzyme (Sanofi), and WuXi Biologics driving major bioprocessing innovations. His achievements are recognized with the Asia‑Pacific Biopharma Excellence Awards CTO of the Year, the 2025 ECI Cell Culture Engineering Award, and the 2025 ECI ICB Award.
Alois Jungbauer
Professor | BOKU University
Alois Jungbauer holds a doctorate from BOKU. He is retired Professor at BOKU University, Adjunct Professor at University of Adelaide and an active scientist at acib, working on bioprocess engineering of proteins, viruses and gene therapy vectors. He coordinates the ITN Characterization and Recovery of Viral Gene therapy Vectors and Vaccines.
Patrick Romann
Bioprocess Innovation Manager | Levitronix GmbH
Patrick Romann is a trained biotechnologist with industry experience at Lonza and Merck Serono. He earned a PhD in Bioprocess Technology at TU Vienna, evaluating technologies for continuous biologics manufacturing. He now works at Levitronix, developing innovative magnetic levitation solutions for improved bioprocessing across upstream and downstream processing applications globally.
Suzanne Farid
Head of Department & Professor of Bioprocess Systems Engineering | UCL Biochemical Engineering
Professor Suzanne Farid CBE is Head of UCL Biochemical Engineering and a leading expert in decisional tools for biotherapeutic manufacturing. Her award winning research has advanced cost effective and sustainable bioprocess design and shaped industry, policy, and education through major national industry-academia partnerships, global advisory roles and impactful contributions to bioprocessing.
Dr. Yifeng Li
Executive Director, Head of Downstream Process Development | WuXi Biologics
Dr. Yifeng Li currently works for WuXi Biologics as the Head of Downstream Process Development team. Prior to joining WuXi, Dr. Li worked for Texas Health Science Center and Cytovance Biologics. Dr. Li received his bachelor's, master’s and Ph.D. degree from Beijing Medical University, University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska Medical Center, respectively. Dr. Li has more than 80 publications.
Benoît Mothes
Sanofi | Vitry
Benoit Mothes is Head of Purification Process Development in R&D at Sanofi. He specializes in downstream processing and innovative purification technologies for biologics, contributing to process intensification and cost-efficient manufacturing. He has authored industry publications and regularly contributes to advances in bioprocess development and biomanufacturing innovation.
Konstantin Konstantinov, PhD
Chief Technology Officer (Ring Therapeutics) & Operating Partner (Flagship Pioneering)| Ring Therapeutics US
Konstantin Konstantinov brings 30 years of experience developing manufacturing processes across biotherapeutic modalities, with programs advancing to INDs, BLAs, and commercialization. He pioneered integrated continuous biomanufacturing. As CTO of Ring Therapeutics, he leads Anellovirus based medicines, and as a Flagship Pioneering Operating Partner advises on CMC and industrialization, and venture scale manufacturing strategy.
Damien Bataille
Head of Process Development Department | LFB Biotechnologies Les Ulis
With a degree in protein engineering, I have dedicated my career to the development of purification processes. Today, as head of the process development department at LFB, I have always been committed to testing cutting-edge methodologies and technologies: Design of Experiment, affinity chromatography, continuous chromatography, and digital twins.
Innocent Bekard
CSL
Sadia Ahmed Sugulle
Merck Serono
Benjamin Perruchoud
Merck Serono
Highlights
VR Session
Explore True‑to‑life Facility Models
Step inside our mixed reality exhibition—the modern way to experience the benefits of PI. Explore true‑to‑life facility models built on the latest PI strategies, where end‑to‑end process flows become instantly clear. From upstream suites to downstream purification, you’ll see exactly how Pionic® integrates into an intensified process to simplify complexity, accelerate progress, and bring modern, sustainable manufacturing to life.
Pionic® Platform
Next-generation Downstream Processing
Join us for the Pionic® session, a program highlight to showcase next-generation downstream processing. Pionic® delivers integrated solutions that combine multi-column chromatography, virus inactivation, single-pass TFF (SPTFF), and crossflow filtration into connected, intensified downstream processes. Participants will discover how modular design and smart integration enable higher productivity, reduced footprints, and scalable bioprocessing performance.
The Boardroom Playbook
Making the Case for PI to Leadership
Biomanufacturing faces rising pressure from capital intensity, biosimilars, and global uncertainty. This session opens with a brief outlook on market forces driving next‑gen, intensified, and continuous manufacturing. Participants then engage in an interactive Economic Analysis App workshop using scenario modeling, Monte Carlo simulation, and risk‑adjusted cash‑flow tools to explore resilient, capital‑efficient investment strategies.
Day 1 -2 | Göttingen
Plenary Sessions - The Future of PI: Data & Economics
Process intensification (PI) is rapidly advancing as a preferred biomanufacturing strategy, driven by rising titers, the need for flexible capacity, and increasing pressure to reduce COGS and environmental impact. Industry adoption continues to accelerate, supported by a regulatory landscape that encourages innovative, efficient, and science‑based manufacturing approaches. Industry leaders from MediLink Therapeutics, Sanofi, Ring Therapeutics, BOKU University and others will provide an overview of current PI trends, real‑world performance data, and sustainability benefits, followed by a practical business‑case discussion illustrating the economic rationale for transitioning from fed‑batch to intensified processes.
Track A - Upstream and Advanced Process Control
Process Intensification highlights the need for developing advanced process control strategies earlier in the journey of a molecule especially when considering Perfusion Bioreactors continuously feeding a connected DSP train. To minimize the tech transfer into Commercial Manufacturing, process orchestration, digital workflows, gathering data and preparing the way for predictive process control needs to start in Process Development or in the clinic. Industry experts from Levitronix and others will bring real world examples of how to bring theory into practice.
Track B - DSP Intensification: From Theory to Practise
The rise in USP titers and the growing competition both put pressure on the DSP to reduce costs of goods in the biopharmaceutical industry. Experts from Sanofi, Merck, LFB, CSL, Takeda, Wuxi Biologics and others will share their view on PI using various technologies, such as Multi-Column Chromatography applied to resins, membrane chromatography, connected DSP and data analytical tools to monitor these processes. If you face cost and throughput challenges or if you want to take your manufacturing to the next level, this stream is for you.
Design-to-Delivery Day on September 17: Making PI Work for You
Wrap up your PI Forum week with an optional on-site deep dive at Sartorius Guxhagen, our process engineering and biopharma equipment manufacturing site. Follow the manufacturing journey from idea to realization step by step, and see how we can help meet your specific process needs by combining full transparency on all technical and business‑related aspects with next-generation process solutions and expert consultancy. We support our clients throughout their project from Design to Delivery, and this is your exclusive opportunity to see how ideas move from concept to production. Spots are limited, so please confirm your attendance during registration.
Shuttle from Göttingen to Guxhagen and back is included.
Plan Your Visit
Venue
Sartorius Campus, Otto-Brenner Strasse, 37079 Goettingen, Germany
Accomodation
Sartorius has negotiated special rates for PI Forum 2026 attendees across a selection of hotels in the city. The hotels have stipulated their special rates with booking deadlines. Rooms are available on a first come, first served basis. Prices will vary after the booking deadlines have passed. Sartorius will offer a courtesy shuttle bus each day between the hotel and the Sartorius Campus.
Four Points Flex by Sheraton Goettingen | Leisure & Business Hotel in Goettingen
Bahnhofsallee 1a, 37081 Göttingen
Booking Code: "Sartorius PI Forum 26"
Holiday Inn Express Goettingen Hotel by IHG
Carl-Zeiss-Straße 1, 37081 Göttingen
Phone: +49 551 507662012
E-Mail: reservation@express-goettingen.de
Booking code: "Sartorius PI Forum 26"
Parkhotel Ropeter Göttingen - Tagungs- & Urlaubshotel
Kasseler Landstraße 45, 37081 Göttingen
E-Mail: tagung@hotel-ropeter.de
Special rates available until August 03, 2026
Booking code: "Sartorius PI Forum 26"
Travel
Goettingen is situated in the heart of Germany.
The university city is approximately 2 hours from Frankfurt Airport by road or by rail.
Goettingen is approximately 100 km from Hannover Airport, accessible by road or rail.
Goettingen Location Map Sartorius Goettingen Location Map
Impressions Previous Events
Feedback From Previous Event Attendees
Ashley Reeder
It was a true pleasure to participate in the Sartorius PI Forum! It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with others in the industry passionate about PI and see first-hand how they approach the challenges associated with intensification from bench to commercial scale across a range of modalities. It was equally exciting to see the novel tools and equipment from Sartorius which reinforce their commitment to and partnership with companies in this space!
Senior Scientist, Sanofi US (attendee)
I found the Process Intensification Forum for biopharma scientists to be highly valuable. The event showcased innovative technologies and practical implementations, providing clear examples of how these approaches can improve efficiency of manufacturing processes. The diverse scientific perspectives and practical applications presented were very interesting. While the forum was well-structured overall, additional interactive discussion opportunities further enhanced knowledge exchange between attendees. Thank you for organizing this informative event that will help inform our continuous improvement initiatives.
Kandarp N Raval
It was indeed a power-packed three-day session, full of insights on process intensification and practical approaches to implementation. Sartorius truly stands out as a one-stop solution for biologics manufacturing. This has been one of the best conferences I have attended in the United States over the past three years.
Frequently Asked Questions
C‑suite executives, VPs and directors of manufacturing in process development, digital/automation, quality, or strategy, bioprocess senior scientists, senior engineers, digital/automation leaders from CDMOs, biosimilar manufacturers, and innovators exploring intensified, connected, and data‑driven bioprocessing.
The event will be conducted in English
The recommended clothing is business casual.
Photography as well as videography will be taking place at this event. The photos and videos taken will be used within the scope of the Sartorius Group’s internal and external communication measures. If you prefer not to be photographed or recorded, please inform the Sartorius team on-site, the photographer directly, or send an email to eventsemea@sartorius.com
Further information on the processing of personal data can be found in the Sartorius Privacy Notice
Cancellations will be accepted up until September 8, 2026. If your circumstances change, and you are no longer able to attend, you should inform Sartorius as soon as possible. eventsemea@sartorius.com
