Bioprosesser

Bioprosesser is a term used in bioengineering to describe a device, system, or architecture that uses biological substrates to perform information processing, decision making, or control tasks that resemble those carried out by electronic processors.

Bioprosessers may be based on living cells, on cell-free biochemical networks, or on a hybrid combination of both. In intracellular implementations, genetic circuits programmed into cells act as logic modules that process inputs such as light, chemicals, or metabolites. In cell-free designs, enzymes or ribosomes are arranged in reaction networks to execute predefined logic. The resulting units can function as processors that interpret biological signals and trigger appropriate responses.

Common components include biosensors that translate signals into biochemical outputs, reaction networks that implement logic or memory, and actuators that adjust a process, for example by releasing a compound, altering a flow, or changing a temperature or pH. The architecture and materials used depend on the intended application, requirements for speed, and the operating environment.

Potential applications range from smart bioreactors and environmental sensing to medical diagnostics and in vivo therapy. Bioprosessers can automate decision making in bioprocessing, enabling more adaptive production and closed-loop control in biotechnology.

Challenges include limited stability and reproducibility of biological components, integration with electronic control systems, safety and regulatory considerations, and the need for robust error handling in dynamic biological environments. The term is not uniformly standardized; researchers more often use bioprocessor, bio-computer, or synthetic biology circuit to describe related concepts.