bioprocesses

Bioprocesses are industrial or laboratory processes that use living systems—such as microorganisms, cell cultures, or isolated enzymes—to produce substances or perform chemical transformations. Bioprocessing integrates biology with chemical engineering to achieve scalable, controlled production of biological products and processes. A typical bioprocess combines upstream operations that cultivate or harvest biological material with downstream operations that purify and formulate the final product.

Common bioprocess modalities include microbial fermentation, mammalian and plant cell culture, and enzymatic biocatalysis. In fermentation, microorganisms convert substrates into desired products under controlled conditions. Cell culture systems rely on grown animal, plant, or hybrid cells to secrete proteins or create complex biologics. Enzymatic bioprocessing uses isolated enzymes to catalyze reactions at defined rates. Equipment includes bioreactors or fermenters, with sensors, control systems, and strategies such as batch, fed-batch, or continuous operation. Downstream processing typically involves clarification, concentration, purification (e.g., chromatography), and formulation.

Key performance metrics include product titer, yield, productivity, purity, and process robustness. Process development focuses on strain selection or cell line engineering, media optimization, and scalable purification schemes, all within regulatory frameworks such as current good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP). Quality control and process analytical technology (PAT) are used to ensure consistency and traceability.

Applications span pharmaceuticals (biologics, vaccines, diagnostics), industrial enzymes, food and beverage ingredients, biofuels, and agricultural products. Bioprocessing also raises challenges related to sterility, contamination risk, variability of biological systems, high upstream and downstream costs, and environmental impact, driving ongoing research into automation, real-time monitoring, and sustainable design.