Developing Biosimulation Tools for Next Generation Manufacturing

At Sartorius, a team of experts for computational bioprocess - also known as Biosimulation - dedicates itself to the development and evaluation of cutting-edge simulation tools tailored for both upstream and downstream biomanufacturing unit operations. A strong emphasis is placed on creating tools that support the next generation of manufacturing, particularly in intensified and continuous manufacturing processes. Our mission is to accelerate and enhance process development activities, ultimately leading to faster time-to-market and more efficient operations that significantly reduce the cost of goods.

Our Approach

Cell Culture Modeling

Sartorius Corporate Research is developing a Cell Culture Model (CCM) software package to enable the simulation of batch, fed-batch and perfusion operating modes for multiple modalities. This includes a hybrid model structure that captures known physics with mechanistic models, while providing flexibility to utilize machine learning or other data driven models to explain unknown phenomena. A unique feature of the CCM library is the ability to predict growth dynamics in perfusion operating modes with models trained from fed-batch data, allowing for digital evaluation of intensified and continuous operation without the need to run wet lab experiments.

AI Hybridized Chromatography Modeling

Chromatography modeling is a mature field - however, traditional model development requires intensive experimental work and modeling expertise. To simplify it, Sartorius has developed a framework that hybridizes AI components (deep recurrent neural networks), describing binding interactions with physics-based components to maintain mass balances. This approach uses a unique, coarse spatial discretization scheme that resolves stiffness problems in spatial dimensions while drawing concepts from convolutional neural networks and deep recurrent networks to achieve high accuracy.

Supervisory Control for Upstream and Downstream Operations

Supervisory control is an advanced automation technology providing orchestration of units or coordination complex systems. It is enabling, or even required, for intensified and continuos bioprocessing. Our team is working on applications to maintain and optimize both upstream continuos perfusion operations and downstream multi-column chromatography systems, as well as system level orchestration of upstream and downstream operations.