Upstream Processing

Five different topics are being presented throughout seven sessions.

Synthetic Biology and Genome Engineering

Sunday, August 13 from 8 am – 12 pm PST in Foothill E (hybrid)

Synthetic biology and genome engineering have transformed biotechnology. Next-generation techniques in sequencing/synthesis have accelerated cellular prototyping, decreased development timelines, and enabled the collection of large, previously unimaginable biochemical datasets. Talks within this session will highlight rapid advances within the fields of synthetic biology and genome engineering with a particular focus on de novo genome design, multiplex genome editing, genetic engineering in non-model organisms and industrial hosts, transcriptional reprogramming, genetic circuit design, biosensors, tool development, metabolic engineering, and pathway engineering. Talks will also aim to address how advances in synthetic biology and genome engineering have created new opportunities for therapeutic development, disease diagnostics, biomaterials and biofuel synthesis, and environmental remediation.

Engineering Microbes and Microbial Communities

Session I: Sunday, August 13 from 2 – 6 pm PST in Foothill E (hybrid)

Session II: Monday, August 14 from 2 – 6 pm PST in Foothill G2

Advances in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering have enabled the design and engineering of genes and pathways to produce chemicals and other biological products important to humans in various microbial hosts. This session aims to bring together all aspects of this engineering process, from the design of metabolically engineered pathways and strains to their construction, optimization and use in whole-cell microbial biocatalysts. We welcome presentations on biocatalytic pathway design, building, and testing; the development of metabolic modeling tools and methodologies for whole cell factory optimization; the creation of genetic tools or engineering microbes or microbial communities; and the incorporation of novel substrates, biochemical reactions, or regulatory mechanisms within biological systems. Additionally, we encourage submission of talks that engineer microbial communities for the production of molecules, therapeutic applications, or other biotechnological objectives.

Innovative Technologies, Intensified Processes, and Next-Generation Therapeutics

Monday, August 14 from 8 am – 12 pm PST in Foothill G2

This session will focus on case studies demonstrating recent advances in upstream process development and manufacturing. Invited topics include but are not limited to: Examples of troubleshooting and resolving unexpected challenges in upstream process development, technology transfer, and/or manufacturing; strategies to control charge variant and glycosylation profiles; development, qualification, and use of bioreactor scale-down models; the use of computational modeling and digital tools in upstream process development (e.g. computational fluid dynamics); applications of upstream process analytical technology for bioreactor control; strategies to decrease the upstream cost of goods, and novel approaches to bioreactor harvest to ensure cell or product purity. Case studies that incorporate multiple of these examples are of special interest.

Case Studies and Advances in Upstream Processing

Tuesday, August 15 from 8 am – 12 pm in Foothill G2

Mammalian Cell Line Development, Media, and Metabolism

Session I: Wednesday, August 16 from 8 am – 12 pm PST in Foothill G2

Session II: Thursday, August 17 from 8 am – 12 pm PST in Foothill E

Mammalian cell culture has become an essential means for the production of an ever-increasing number of viral vaccines, recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and other biopharmaceuticals. The advent of cell-based therapy and gene therapy, where the desired products are the cells (e.g., t-cells and stem cells) or viral capsids encoding the gene of interest, further expands the need for optimal cell culture conditions. The growth of mammalian cells in nutrient-enhanced media is profoundly intertwined with the cell’s metabolism and its response to the physicochemical environment. Over time, the field has matured into a multidisciplinary activity including genetic manipulation of cell lines to obtain highly productive clones, medium and feed development, bioreactor characterization, and process control to optimize conditions for desired productivity and product quality. This session will encompass multiple aspects of mammalian cell culture development, including advances in the development of improved production vectors, novel clone selection strategies, engineering of host cell lines, cell expansion strategies, metabolic pathway analysis and engineering, media development, multivariate analysis of processes and, innovative cell line and cell culture process development. Papers relevant to these topics are highly encouraged, but not limited to those focusing on cell line development, vector engineering, cell culture medium optimization, medium preparation and storage, medium chemistry understanding, medium impact on cell function and metabolism, effects of media in controlled environments, metabolic engineering, metabolic modeling, ‘omics analyses of mammalian cells in varying culture conditions, and management of raw material changes in medium components.