Universal lighting unit for extending bioreactors to photobioreactors

Plant cell cultures (PCCs) cultivated in bioreactors for the production of valuable plant compounds represent a sustainable and resource-efficient alternative to the cultivation of whole plants. In this context, light is an important cultivation factor for optimizing bioprocesses with regard to product yield and quality, thereby increasing economic attractiveness — without the need for genetic modification of the PCCs (at least when recombinant proteins such as pharmaceuticals or biologics are not being produced).

While the determination of individual light conditions (so-called light recipes) to enhance product yields in PZCs has already been realized for cultures in shaking incubators through the patented in-house development LEDitSHAKE at Fraunhofer IME, the transfer of these optimized light conditions to industrial scales is currently not possible. This is because existing bioreactor systems with integrated lighting units (photobioreactors) are not designed to implement customized light recipes.

The goal of the project is to develop a universal lighting system (LEDitFLOW) for the optimized cultivation of plant cells on an industrial scale. Within the project, a prototype of an external extension unit (1 L scale) will be built, enabling existing bioreactors to be upgraded with a flexible lighting solution. This will allow for individualized illumination of PCCs under pre-optimized conditions. In addition, the functionality of the prototype will be demonstrated through the cultivation of an established PCC.

By providing this new solution for transferring light-based optimization strategies to production scale, the Fraunhofer IME expands its service portfolio, empowering users to develop new PCC-based bioprocesses with high product yields and to increase the economic efficiency of existing processes. The lower investment costs, compared to the purchase of fully customized photobioreactors, and the possibility of gradually scaling optimized light conditions up to industrial bioreactor dimensions, help to reduce research risks and development costs.

This technology will particularly benefit companies and SMEs in the cosmetics, chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries, enabling them to make phototrophic production processes more efficient and productive.