(58e) Rapid and Efficient Strain Evaluation Using a Micro-Scale Bioreactor

Despite much progress in process modeling, method development and scale-up biological processes remain to have a strong empirical component. Thus, such endeavors are time consuming and resource intensive. In industrial biotechnology, various genetically modified microorganisms have to be evaluated for cell growth and production kinetics under different conditions such as pH, temperatures, aeration and agitation. Historically this work has been done using shake flask, a one-at-a-time evaluation without pH control under low dissolved oxygen conditions. Often results obtained in shake flasks do not correlate with large-scale conditions. Thus there is a need for a rapid and efficient method to evaluate multiple strains whose growth and production kinetics can be extrapolated to large-scale conditions. We have been evaluating a micro-scale bioreactor and have found that pH, temperature, DO% and agitation can be controlled. We have applied quantitative and qualitative techniques to monitor and control growth, respiration and production in several microorganisms. By testing different media components and process conditions at small and large scale, we have found that the micro-scale bioreactor offers a rapid and efficient means for strain evaluation. Moreover, the format allows parallel evaluation of multiple parameters, thus decreasing time and resource constraints.