Description du projet :
Mammalian cell culture is essential for cancer and autoimmune disease treatments because it enables the production of complex biologics—such as monoclonal antibodies. The cell culture process remains highly manual, relying on personnel to transfer cells between vessels, which significantly raises the risk of contamination and can result in batch losses, variability and production delays. Traditional setups also require a large physical footprint, limiting flexibility and expansion. Moreover, the process is both capital- and cost-intensive, with high initial investment (bioreactors, cleanrooms) and ongoing operational expenses for materials (consumables, media). These issues collectively hinder streamlined, reliable, and cost-effective cell culture operations.
Our next-generation bioreactor takes cell culture process and automation to the next level. This innovative system will enable a fully automated cell expansion process—from vial thawing (30 mL) to the N-1 bioreactor (200-500 L)—through process intensification. It simplifies the workflow by reducing it from seven steps to just two. This significantly reduces manual intervention and contamination risk, by a factor of five, lowers the overall facility footprint by up to 30%.
The Innosuisse project will support the research and development of our next-generation bioreactor, including the integration of online monitoring sensors (pH, DO, and cell density), advanced process modelling with intelligent automation, and CFD modelling to optimize performance and define critical operating ranges. Our total addressable market is estimated at $ 1-2 billion. Bioscibex aims to become the leading provider of mid-size bioreactors across Europe, the United States, and Asia by 2050.
Equipe de recherche au sein de la HES-SO:
Walker Anne
, Labadie Virginie
, Imoberdorf Basil
, Jossen Valentin
Partenaires académiques: Müller Ulf Christian, HSLU - Hochschule Luzern
Partenaires professionnels: Albietz Chloé, Bioscibex SA
Durée du projet:
19.01.2026 - 19.10.2026
Statut : En cours
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SWITCH edu-ID
Administration
