Bioprocess Innovation Suite
The Bioprocess Innovation Suite, situated at Teagasc Moorepark, serves as a comprehensive hub for bioprocess development, optimization, and scale-up. Supported by Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, and Teagasc, this suite boasts a diverse range of bioreactors, including some equipped with automated liquid handling and sampling capabilities, complemented by an adjoining microbiology prep lab.
Bioprocessing involves leveraging living organisms to generate valuable products. These processes hold the potential to convert low-value materials, including food and waste streams, into high-value goods with enhanced functional attributes, prolonged shelf life, and heightened safety standards. The establishment of the Bioprocess Innovation Suite, in tandem with Teagasc's food science expertise and the resources available at the onsite pilot plant, Moorepark Technology Ltd., marks the latest advancement within Teagasc's Cultures, Fermentation, and Biotransformation research platform.
The platform's expansion includes a state-of-the-art laboratory equipped with a diverse array of bioreactors, spanning from 0.8 ml to 270 L in capacity. The uniformity in control units and dimensional proportions across all scales, facilitates a seamless transition during scale-up processes. This standardization not only simplifies operations but also enhances efficiency, ensuring consistency in process parameters regardless of scale. Importantly, these bioreactors implement real time monitoring of pH, DO, temperature, stirring rate, and CO2.
At the smaller scale, the micro bioreactors facilitate high-throughput screening and media optimization, bolstered by an integrated, automated microfluidics system. This innovative combination enables the simultaneous operation of up to 48 fermentations, significantly increasing throughput and expediting experimentation. Additionally, robotics are seamlessly integrated into the setup, handling tasks such as sampling, dosing, and media preparation. This automation not only enhances efficiency but also ensures consistency and reliability across experiments.
Moreover, the system boasts customizable measurements of various bi-products and critical parameters such as biomass concentration, pH levels, and dissolved oxygen (DO) content, all managed with precision and accuracy. This advanced setup not only accelerates bioprocess development but also fosters innovation by providing researchers with unparalleled control over experimental conditions and data collection.
Equipment
- Biolector Pro and Robolector XL: 48 samples, 0.8-2ml volume
- Applikon Mini-Bio: 8 reactors, 50-200ml volume
- Applikon EZ-Bio: 2-20 L volume
- Applikon Pilot Scale Bioreactor: 250 L volume, located at Moorepark Technology Ltd
Downstream Processing
As part of the Bioprocess Innovation Suite, a number of downstream processing platforms are also available to users, including membrane filtration, flavour chemistry, food structure analysis and DNA sequencing.
For more information on these facilities, watch our YouTube playlist.
Research Projects
U-Protein: Unlocking Protein Resource Opportunities To Evolve Ireland’s Nutrition
EBSTAR: Efficient Biotransformation of Underutilised and Waste Food Processing Streams into Alternative and Renewable Products.
For an example of practical applications in the Suite, read about a kefir scale-up case study
