LIGHT BASED MULTISENSING DEVICE FOR SCREENING OF PATHOGENS AND NUTRIENTS IN BIOREACTORS

The bioreactor industry is currently flourishing with a global market valued estimated at 2.3 B€ in 2020 and predicted to exceed 6.6 B€ euro by 2030, growing at a rate of 10.7% CAGR. Despite this impressive growth, there are challenges which can significantly impede the further advancement of bioreactors: Bioproducts can be sustainable and competitive only if reliable and contamination-free production is ensured. Currently, there is no catholic solution to this issue. To this end, LIBRA project introduces a benchtop smart multi-sensing system for the in-line automatable screening of cultivation processes in bioreactors. The LIBRA sensing technology lies in the use of light based integrated on-chip, real time sensors. A novel integration procedure of the photonic platforms together with disposable microfluidic modules and biofunctionalization units will result in a modular system with interchangeable components enabling the screening of nutrients and pathogens in bioreactor samples, according to the end users need. Furthermore, the LIBRA system will be able to be attached and integrated to various bioreactor systems regardless of their form factors, spanning from stirred tank bioreactors to single use bioreactors (SUB). To achieve this, LIBRA will rely on a highly multi-disciplinary consortium comprising expertise and specialization in several fields spanning photonics, surface functionalization, microfluidics, advanced packaging and assembly, artificial intelligence and bioreactor manufacturers. The exploitable results of LIBRA are expected to disrupt the current PIC-based sensing landscape, as estimated by the two business cases stemming from the project: the market revenues one year after the end of this project are expected to be €7.8 million growing to almost €59 million in 2032, and plethora of new IP and new business opportunities for the partners involved in the joint venture of LIBRA.