Sensors for Biomanufacturing

Scaling living systems from the laboratory to commercial production remains one of the most significant and costly bottlenecks in the growing bioeconomy. Unlike traditional chemical processes, biological systems are dynamic and reactive, meaning that cells respond unpredictably to volume-dependent stresses such as pressure, shear, waste accumulation, and product toxicity that arise when moving from a flask to a large-scale tank. Current biomanufacturing relies heavily on empirical trial-and-error because traditional bioreactors are often data-poor, lacking the instrumentation required to monitor these complex physiological changes in real time.

To make industrial bioproduction predictable and efficient, we must be able to track what is happening inside the cell in response to changes in bioreactor conditions. Schmidt Sciences’ Sensors for Biomanufacturing program aims to bridge the measurement gap by supporting a diverse portfolio of research projects focused on developing purpose-built sensors capable of tracking key intracellular and extracellular signals.

Our program focuses on interdisciplinary research that merges advanced physics, chemistry, and engineering with microbial physiology. We prioritize technologies that go beyond simple environmental proxies (like pH or dissolved oxygen) to interrogate the actual health and metabolic state of the microorganism. By generating high-dimensional, real-time physiological data, we aim to feed machine-learning models that can uncover non-intuitive insights, enabling rapid process optimization and automated, closed-loop control of bioreactors.

Collectively, these efforts leverage innovations in quantum sensing, photonics, and data science to transform the bioreactor from a “black box” into a transparent, data-rich environment. By establishing industry-ready sensing platforms and integrating novel physiological data into bioprocess models, the Sensors for Biomanufacturing program works to enable more accurate scale-up simulations and, ultimately, a faster and more robust industrial bioeconomy.