Process intensification platforms for application in bioengineering

Abstract

The work presented reports the use of small scale reactors, with 15 mL-3 μL of volume, in bioprocesses. This field of research is of acknowledged relevance, since the rational use of small scale reactors is contributing to speed up process development in several areas of biotechnology, in particular due to the possibility of carrying out high throughput assays. Small scale reactors are available in different working volumes, configurations and architectures. These bioreactors are currently used in a wide array of applications, from cell screening to process optimization. The present work is focused on three major application areas, namely steroid biotransformations, siderophore production and screening of antibacterial agents. Results have shown the reliability of these platforms as suitable alternatives of traditional reactors and as screening tools. Fully automated platforms with monitoring and control devices are on the pipeline to further take advantage of the high throughput capability.