Despite the many excellent bioengineering programmes at universities, scientists often come across tasks in bioprocess development that go beyond what they learned during their studies. This stems from constantly evolving applications and methods. Consequently, to advance their work, scientists often have to familiarise themselves with new concepts and methods.
The challenges presented by bioprocesses
Perfusion mode bioprocessing is one example: many bioengineers consider this to be better than fed-batch processes; however, many factors must be considered. It is important to select a suitable cell retention system, and apdapt media compositions and perfusion rates to ensure excellent product quality while keeping costs down.This field is rapidly evolving and there are not always easy answers or routine procedures.
The practical advice that is shared in hands-on courses and discussions between lab mates is rare in scientific literature; however, Eppendorf's website gives users access to these tips and tricks.
Stem cell bioprocessing is another example: in a typical scenario, a cell biologist with a minimal background in bioengineering, who usually cultivates cells in flasks and dishes, will face the challenge of scaling up their process into a bioreactor.
Individuals can use research papers and reviews for studying new topics; however, they are usually written by specialists and prove challenging for beginners.
Providing insider tips and tricks
Eppendorf strives to make the lives of scientists easier. On its website, the company covers some of the most important applications in bioprocessing and routinely updates its website with the latest information.
Its coverage includes information on bioreactor scalability, where it introduces scale-up criteria, scale-up strategies and scale-down models. Visitors of the website can also use the company's introduction into perfusion, which highlights the different devices that are currently used for cell retention in perfusion processes. Eppendorf describes various concepts, ranging from filtration techniques to acoustic waves and the mechanical entrapment of cells in packed-bed bioreactors.
Furthermore, users will find articles about stem cell bioprocessing, and the company also focuses on data management solutions, analyser integration and the design of experiments. Accessing Eppendorf's overview articles allows readers to dig deeper into the topics that interest them the most.
The practical advice that is shared in hands-on courses and discussions between lab mates is rare in scientific literature; however, the company's website provides users with access to these vital tips and tricks. The company starts with a guide to impeller selection, and continuously adds articles that cover a broad range of topics concerning the operation of bioreactors and dayto- day process optimisation.
Expert partners
Eppendorf's website offers advice to users that are new to bioprocess applications and also helps individuals that want to expand their existing knowledge. The company's expertise includes experimental design, process control, data analysis and the operation of bioreactors.
