Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Grünberger

Multiscale Bioprocess Engineering
From Single-Cell Physiology to Industrial Biomanufacturing

Abstract:

Bioprocesses are a workhorse for the production of food, pharmaceuticals and other everyday goods. The complex interplay between environmental reactor dynamics and the subsequent cellular response is still a mystery [1]. As a result, cells often show a significant variability in growth and production, potentially influencing the performance and robustness of bioprocesses [2]. In this context, Multiscale Bioprocess Engineering is a central field of research. I will introduce the topic and explain applications on own research examples. Focus will be laid on the application of so-called microfluidic single cell cultivation systems [3-5]. Finally, the potential and challenges of Multiscale Bioprocess Engineering will be discussed and evaluated.

Short bio:

Dr.-Ing. Alexander Grünberger is Professor for Microsystems in Bioprocess Engineering at the Institute of Process Engineering in Life Sciences (BLT), Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). He received his PhD in Bioprocess Engineering from RWTH Aachen University in 2015, focusing on microfluidics and single-cell analysis. From 2015 to 2017 he was a Helmholtz Postdoctoral Fellow at Forschungszentrum Jülich, working on microfluidics and optogenetics. In 2017 he joined Bielefeld University as Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021. In 2022 he was appointed Full Professor at KIT. His research aims to develop next-generation robust and sustainable bioprocesses by bridging fundamental bioprocess engineering with application-driven biotechnology and translating fundamental insights into scalable bioprocesses. Current interests and research foci include bioprocess microfluidics, cell-to-cell heterogeneity, automation and digitalization of bioprocess, and bioprocess scale-up and scale-down strategies. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and received several awards, including the B&B Wang Award (2023).