Downstream bioprocessing relies on a series of unit operations that orthogonally exploit chemical and physical properties of biological products to purify them for clinical applications. Recently a range of new products have emerged in the clinic and on the market that provide exciting therapeutic opportunities, yet simultaneously exhibit substantial manufacturing issues that contribute to exorbitant prices at present. In order to drive down costs, a better understanding as to how the structure of downstream materials relates to function and performance is required, so that informed design decisions can be better tailored to the specific needs of emergent products and processes.

In this presentation, the geometry of key unit operations across multiple length scales will be visualized and characterized to provide unique insight into the structure-function relationship. This includes conventional materials including: depth filtration membrane filtration and packed bed chromatography, in addition to more recent solutions, notably 3D printed monoliths. The presentation will conclude with a vision for future research activities that will be essential in perfecting the downstream bioprocessing design process to more efficiently and effectively manufacture medicines of the past, present and future.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe how imaging techniques can be used to visualize and characterize materials.

2. Discuss how structures in bioprocessing can be related to function and performance.

3. Compare different materials to inform the design of new geometries to meet future demands.