Successful Launch of the First 2024 Training on Biomanufacturing Pilot-Scale Platform Development Held at Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology

From September 23 to 24, 2024, training sessions on the concepts and implementation plans for pilot-scale platforms in biomanufacturing were successfully held at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Tianjin Pilot-Scale Achievement Transformation Platform of Bloomage Biotech Co., Ltd. The well-substantiated agenda design and the course structure, which combined theoretical learning with practical site visits, attracted significant attention from professionals across various sectors of the industry, including government industrial parks, publicly listed companies, research institutes, startups, and supply chain vendors. The inaugural training session exceeded expectations, with over 100 attendees in attendance. Characterized by highly informative content and lively exchanges, the event received unanimous acclaim from participants. Experts and leaders from the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology and Bloomage Biotech also delivered insightful presentations during the training.

Figure: Researcher Sun Jibin from the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology

Figure: Researcher Xia Jianye from the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology

Figure: Ms. Zhao Yan, Chairwoman and President of Bloomage Biotech

Figure: Fu Shaoping, Senior Engineer at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology

Figure: Professor Xia Xiaole, Academic Dean of the College of Food Science and Engineering at Tianjin University of Science and Technology, and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University

It is reported that this training program was jointly launched by VCBeat, the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Bloomage Biotech, and Dr. Fang. The initiative aims to leverage the mature expertise of China’s top-tier research institutions and leading enterprises to help companies in the biomanufacturing sector address challenges encountered during pilot-scale platform construction and capacity scale-up. By pooling the strengths of these industry “giants,” the program seeks to bridge the “Valley of Death” in one decisive leap. From the release of the initial notice to the commencement of the training, only ten days elapsed, yet registration numbers exceeded the designed capacity by more than twofold. This overwhelming response underscores the long-standing difficulties faced by the biomanufacturing industry in establishing pilot-scale platforms and demonstrates that the training topics precisely address the urgent needs of the sector.

According to the latest update from the Organizing Committee, registration for the first session far exceeded expectations, and due to limited venue capacity, some colleagues regrettably missed out on this session. In response to the urgent demand from industry professionals, the second training session will be held as soon as possible in the near future. Interested colleagues may scan the QR code below to pre-register, and we will contact you promptly.

Companies across the upstream and downstream industrial and supply chains of biomanufacturing (including synthetic biology) are also welcome to exhibit or sponsor promotional activities.

On the morning of the 23rd, over one hundred attendees arrived from across China at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The first day’s program commenced with an overarching keynote address delivered by Researcher Sun Jibin.

Figure: Researcher Sun Jibin delivers a keynote report

Sun Jibin is a Professor at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Director of the Center for Systems Biology, recipient of the State Council Special Allowance, CAS Distinguished Research Fellow, inductee of the CAS Key Talent Program, and Model Worker of Tianjin Municipality. He specializes in systems and synthetic biology research, has published 150 SCI-indexed papers, holds 70 authorized invention patents domestically and internationally, and has long led the institute’s platform development. For this training session, he will“Overall Strategy for the Construction and Operation of Pilot-Scale Production Platforms”。

Starting with “What is Biomanufacturing,” Researcher Sun Jibin systematically introduced the development trends of the biomanufacturing industry, a comparison of the domestic and international landscapes, and the importance, positioning, and functions of pilot-scale platforms in biomanufacturing, as well as their construction content, overall framework, operational models, and sustainable development. This presentation established a comprehensive conceptual framework for the construction and operation of pilot-scale platforms for the attending representatives, laying a solid cognitive foundation for subsequent training.

Figure: Researcher Sun Jibin sharing at the event

Researcher Sun Jibin noted that, in terms of scale, the vast majority of organic compounds can be biosynthesized, making biomanufacturing a new mode of substance production; “Biomanufacturing+” will reshape the industrial foundation of chemical synthesis. In terms of market size, the bioeconomy is projected to reach trillions of U.S. dollars, with the biomanufacturing industry poised for explosive growth over the next decade. From an international perspective, the convergence of information technology (IT) and biotechnology (BT) lies at the core of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and is transforming people’s lifestyles. The United States issued an executive order in 2022 to launch the “National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative,” signaling that the global biomanufacturing industry has entered a phase of intense competition.

Although the bio-manufacturing industry still faces numerous challenges, such as difficulties in obtaining microbial strains and complexities in processes including fermentation, separation, extraction, and scale-up, challenges always coexist with opportunities. Researcher Sun Jibin encouraged the attendees, stating, “This is precisely the opportunity for all of us here!”

Immediately following,Researcher Xia Jianye delivered a keynote presentation titled “Pilot-Scale Platform for Intelligent Bio-Manufacturing.”

Figure: Researcher Xia Jianye delivers a keynote report

Researcher Xia Jianye is the Director of the Center for Intelligent Biomanufacturing at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. A student of Professor Zhang Siliang, he was selected for the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Key Talent Program, recognized as a Leading Talent in Tianjin, and serves as Vice Chairman of the Special Committee on Biochemical Process Modeling and Control under the Chinese Society for Microbiology. He proposed an optimization and scale-up method for fermentation processes based on the integration of reactor flow fields and cellular physiology, which has been applied by numerous biomanufacturing enterprises across China. He was awarded the Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award.

Researcher Xia Jianye has deeply rooted his work in the field of high-throughput fermentation. In this presentation, he delivered a comprehensive three-hour analysis, divided into two sessions, covering six key aspects: the significance of establishing pilot-scale platforms for biomanufacturing; how high-throughput fermentation optimization serves as critical hardware and software technology to address bottlenecks; digitalization and intelligence in the construction of biomanufacturing pilot platforms; talent requirements for building such platforms; and reflections on the operational mechanisms of biomanufacturing pilot platforms.

Figure: Researcher Xia Jianye sharing at the event

Covering three key scientific issues in the optimization and scale-up of fermentation processes, a detailed breakdown of the basic components of pilot-scale platforms for biomanufacturing, strategies for building intelligent biomanufacturing pilot platforms, and eight aspects of their operational mechanisms, the presentation was comprehensive and thorough. By integrating theory with critical insights, it sparked active discussion and interaction among the attendees.

Subsequently,Fu Shaoping, a senior engineer, delivered a presentation titled “Background, Challenges, and Solutions for the Development of the Post-Processing Module in Biomanufacturing Pilot-Scale Platforms.”

Figure: Fu Shaoping, Senior Engineer, Delivers Keynote Address

Fu Shaoping is a Senior Engineer at the Center for Intelligent Bio-manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a Senior Member of the Chinese Chemical Society. He is primarily engaged in research on separation and purification processes for bio-fermentation products. He has successively presided over key projects under the Tianjin Science and Technology Support Program and the National Key R&D Program. He was responsible for completing the development of separation and purification processes for more than 30 industrialization projects involving lycopene, inositol, protocatechuic acid, and other products, generating significant economic value.

Fu Shaoping, a Senior Engineer, has conducted extensive process development and practical research in the post-fermentation processing module, accumulating rich project experience. In this presentation, he delivered an incisive lecture combining theoretical analysis with case studies, covering six key aspects: the background for constructing the post-processing module of the biomanufacturing pilot-scale platform, equipment selection, project services, product cases, technical systems, and the digitalization, flexibility, and intelligence of biomanufacturing pilot-scale platforms.

Figure: Fu Shaoping, Senior Engineer, Sharing at the Event

He began with Stokes' law, elucidated the principles for selecting centrifugal equipment, and systematically deconstructed the “four beams and eight pillars” of the engineering technology system for fermentation separation and purification (downstream processing). Addressing the current status of the downstream processing module in fermentation pilot-scale platforms, he used case studies to introduce solutions to prevailing challenges. Fu Shaoping, a Senior Engineer, delivered an impassioned lecture. Attendees widely expressed that they had gained substantial insights, noting that much of the content could directly address practical problems they are currently encountering.

Figure: Dr. Fang hosts a dinner Q&A session

During the exchange session, attendees engaged in extensive discussions on business products and collaboration opportunities. Under the moderation of Dr. Fang, many “classroom questions” were also answered by the experts.

Figure: Researcher Xia Jianye answers questions from attendees during the dinner

It is reported that the participating representatives raised a total of 38 sets comprising over 60 questions. The nature of these inquiries highlighted the myriad challenges currently faced by professionals from diverse backgrounds, including government industrial parks and startups. For the equipment suppliers and partners across the upstream and downstream of the industry chain present at the event, these discussions also revealed significant business opportunities. The attendees participated with great enthusiasm, engaging in lively exchanges for two and a half hours before departing on a high note.

Figure: Attendees posing for a photo at Bloomage Biotech's pilot-scale achievement transformation platform

On the 24th, over one hundred conference delegates visited Bloomage Biotech’s Pilot Scale-up and Technology Transfer Center. This synthetic biology pilot-scale platform, representing an investment of billions of yuan, covering an area of 30,000 square meters, and equipped with 64 pilot production lines, is hailed as the world’s largest pilot-scale technology transfer platform. After six years of construction, it has finally been fully completed and put into operation. By optimizing the pilot-scale process through advanced “modular” and “drawer-style” concepts, the facility can undertake pilot trials and small-scale commercial production for a variety of bioactive ingredient products at pharmaceutical, skincare, and food grades.

Figure: Ms. Zhao Yan, Chairwoman and President of Bloomage Biotech

Notably, Ms. Zhao Yan, Chairwoman of Bloomage Biotech, made a surprise appearance at the training venue. She stated to the attendees that the center is not only dedicated to facilitating the pilot-scale translation of Bloomage Biotech’s internal R&D achievements but also opens its capabilities to the broader society through a “platform-based” model, providing pilot-scale translation services for biomanufacturing.

Figure: Assistant General Manager Wang Enxu delivers a keynote presentation

Wang Enxu, Assistant to the General Manager of Bloomage Biotech’s Pilot Scale-up and Technology Transfer Center, first provided a detailed introduction to the construction and operation of the platform. He elaborated on four key aspects: the significance and positioning of Bloomage Biotech’s pilot scale-up platform, its features and capabilities, its service models and advantages, and its future outlook. According to the presentation, the Bloomage Biotech Pilot Scale-up and Technology Transfer Platform is positioned as “a demonstration hub for industry-academia-research integration, dedicated to facilitating the industrial translation of technological achievements.” Characterized by flexibility, platform-based operations, and digitalization, it adopts an open cooperation model featuring “modular,” “drawer-style,” and “platform-based” approaches for the entire industry. Looking ahead, Bloomage Biotech aims to build a “super brain” that integrates three core components: AI artificial intelligence, a big database for bio-manufacturing, and a flexible pilot-scale production technology platform.

Figure: Professor Xia Xiaole delivers a keynote report

Professor Xia Xiaole was also invited to visit Bloomage Biotech, where he delivered a keynote presentation titled “Ideas and Solutions for Building a Platform for the Development of Bio-manufacturing Applications in the Food Sector” to the attendees.

Professor Xia Xiaole serves as the Academic Dean of the College of Food Science and Engineering at Tianjin University of Science and Technology, and as a Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University. He has long been engaged in research on processes and equipment for functional foods and brewing based on biological and intelligent manufacturing, with a focus on developing full-chain green intelligent manufacturing system integration. In the past five years, he has presided over eight national-level projects and has been honored with titles such as “Shennong Young Talent” (a national-level young talent program by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs) and Chief Scientist of the National Key R&D Program.

Professor Xia Xiaole offered candid and insightful remarks. He frankly stated that for startups with limited scale and financial resources, the food sector may be a more viable path than the pharmaceutical industry, which is characterized by lengthy development cycles and substantial capital requirements. Moreover, the food industry is currently undergoing a transition in both production and consumption models, presenting richer opportunities. During his presentation, Professor Xia Xiaole elaborated on four key aspects: the background and challenges of building application development platforms for biomanufacturing in the food sector; technological research and innovation in this area; the intelligent construction of such platforms; and concluding remarks with future outlooks. He highlighted that critical biological technology innovations, novel food ingredients, intelligent manufacturing, sustainable development, and regulatory improvements will drive the transformation and upgrading of the food industry. Driven by biotechnological innovation, these advancements will usher in a new era for the food industry.

Figure: Attendees Visit Bloomage Biotech’s Bio-Manufacturing 5.0 Science and Technology Museum

On the afternoon of the 24th, two senior process directors from Bloomage Biotech’s Pilot-Scale Achievement Transformation CenterXue Guoxi and Rong Jinleirespectively from“Development Concepts and Solutions for Building Application Development Platforms for Cosmetic-Grade and Pharmaceutical-Grade Products in Biomanufacturing” and “Case Studies on Application Development of Biomanufacturing-Related Products”Delivering an Inspiring Presentation.

Figure: Director Xue Guoxi delivers a keynote presentation

Director Xue Guoxi primarily elaborated on the background and challenges associated with developing biomanufacturing application platforms in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors, as well as the strategic approach to intelligently constructing pilot-scale biomanufacturing platforms and the key considerations in their establishment. He noted that while the development of such platforms currently faces challenges related to technology, market dynamics, policies and regulations, and funding, it is critical to ensure a scientifically sound layout, supporting infrastructure, and an appropriate quality management system. According to Director Xue, the ability to effectively mitigate contamination and cross-contamination is paramount to the successful operation of biomanufacturing platforms in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

Figure: Director Rong Jinlei delivers a keynote presentation

Director Rong Jinlei shared his extensive experience, focusing on the prerequisites for pilot-scale scale-up, common issues encountered during the process, and case studies from Bloomage Biotech. A significant portion of the attendees were R&D professionals from various companies, who found Director Rong’s insights highly practical.

On the day of the event,Ms. Zhao Yan, Chairwoman of Bloomage BiotechEnthusiastically, she mentioned,The primary purpose of establishing Bloomage Biotech’s pilot-scale achievement transformation platform is to underscore the critical role of pilot testing in bridging scientific research outcomes and industrialization, as bio-manufacturing enters the 5.0 era. “As a leading enterprise in the bio-manufacturing industry, Bloomage Biotech is committed to actively fulfilling its corporate responsibilities. With investments amounting to billions of yuan, the company aims to accelerate the industrial translation of scientific achievements, open its resources to society, build an ecosystem, and empower the development of the entire industry.”

Ms. Zhao Yan stated, “How can China achieve a leading position in the biomanufacturing industry? The pilot-scale translation of scientific and technological achievements is the most critical and core pivotal link. We hope to strengthen close collaboration with all present in the future, jointly building a symbiotic and win-win ecosystem.”

The two-day training on strategies and plans for building pilot-scale platforms in biomanufacturing (2024) has officially concluded on this delightful note, with participating delegates returning fully rewarded and expressing widespread acclaim.

A final reminder to our industry colleagues: If you are also engaged in the promising field of biomanufacturing, and if you wish to scientifically plan, construct, and operate pilot-scale platforms, please scan the QR code below to pre-register. The second training session will be launched as soon as possible, and we will contact you at the earliest opportunity.

We also welcome enterprises from the upstream and downstream industrial and supply chains of biomanufacturing (including synthetic biology) to exhibit or sponsor promotional activities.