Smart Biotech Scientist | The CMC and Biomanufacturing Podcast for Process Development and Manufacturing Leaders
The go-to CMC and bioprocessing podcast for process development scientists and CMC leaders scaling biologics into regulatory-ready therapies with less trial and error.
Practical, execution-focused guidance on CMC development, tech transfer, scale-up, GMP readiness, CDMO partnerships, and manufacturing economics.
Hosted by Dr. David Brühlmann, CMC strategist, former Bioprocess Innovation Manager at Merck, PhD in glycoengineering, and close to 20 years of biomanufacturing experience. Smart Biotech Scientist delivers actionable insights for the people doing the hard work of turning promising molecules into scalable, regulatory-ready therapies.
This podcast is for you if:
- You are a process development scientist or CMC lead managing a technology transfer, scale-up, or CDMO partnership
- You are a biologics developer working on upstream or downstream process development, cell culture optimization, or GMP manufacturing readiness
- You are a biotech founder preparing for an IND filing or Series A fundraise, and need a CMC strategy that holds up under investor and regulatory scrutiny
- You are building or advising an early-stage biopharma team and need to make smart manufacturing decisions with limited resources
What you will learn:
CMC strategy and regulatory planning, bioprocess scale-up from lab to clinical and commercial manufacturing, cell culture process development and media optimization, technology transfer best practices, CDMO selection and partnership management, hybrid modeling and manufacturing economics, continuous manufacturing and Industry 4.0 in biopharma, biologics modalities including mAbs, ADCs, and cell and gene therapies.
Top 10 life sciences podcast with 200+ episodes and guests from Merck, FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, Cytiva, KBI Biopharma, Eppendorf, and biotech innovators worldwide.
New episodes released weekly. Subscribe and join 400+ biotech leaders already using these insights to accelerate development, reduce manufacturing costs, and de-risk scale-up.
Next Steps:
Book a free assessment to reduce biomanufacturing costs and make lifesaving therapies more accessible: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com/assessment
Fast-track bioprocess development with expert guidance: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com
Visit the Website: https://smartbiotechscientist.com
Email us: hello@bruehlmann-consulting.com
Smart Biotech Scientist | The CMC and Biomanufacturing Podcast for Process Development and Manufacturing Leaders
160: The Ultimate Guide to Accelerating Perfusion Process Development Using 96-Deep-Well Plates with Tom Valentin - Part 2
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In this concluding episode of our deep dive into miniaturized perfusion systems, we tackle the most challenging aspect: implementing meaningful process analytical technology (PAT) at microscale while keeping costs realistic for high-throughput applications.
Tom Valentin, group leader at CSEM for Automated Sample Handling, continues sharing CSEM's pioneering work in automated sample handling, revealing both the breakthrough opportunities and stubborn technical barriers that define the current state of small-scale perfusion development.
Critical insights you'll gain from this episode:
- The PAT miniaturization challenge is about more than size: While optical density sensors work reasonably well for microbial cultures, mammalian cell applications demand more sophisticated solutions. Tom explains why viable cell density remains the "holy grail"—and how promising technologies from companies like IMEC and Inspec are pushing the boundaries, though cost-effective 96-well implementation remains elusive
- Smart compromises can unlock practical solutions: Tom reveals why the industry may need to accept hybrid approaches—real-time pH and DO monitoring combined with once-daily viable cell density sampling. He also explains the unique challenges of sensor positioning in shaking deep-well plates where liquid dynamics create measurement complexities
- Partnership models that actually work for biotech innovation: Beyond the technical discussion, Tom outlines CSEM's proven collaboration approaches, including how Innoswiss funding can provide 50% cost reduction for development projects and why their 70% proposal success rate makes them an attractive R&D partner for both startups and established pharma companies
Discover how bioprocessing is evolving - from high-throughput screening to digital twins and continuous manufacturing- in these expert-led episodes.
- Episode 155: From Process Bottlenecks to Seamless Production: How Continuous Bioprocessing Changes Everything
- Episodes 153-154: The Future of Bioprocessing: Industry 4.0, Digital Twins, and Continuous Manufacturing Strategies with Tiago Matos
- Episodes 85-86: Bioprocess 4.0: Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing with Massimo Morbidelli
- Episodes 73-74: Bead-Based Assays: The Power of High-Throughput Screening with Sebastian Giehring
Connect with Tom Valentin:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tom-valentin-5bb9091b
Website: www.csem.ch/en
Email: thomas.valentin@csem.ch
Next step:
Book a free consultation to help you get started on any questions you may have about bioprocessing analytics: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com/call
Develop bioprocessing technologies better, faster, at a fraction of the cost with our 1:1 Strategy Call: The quickest and easiest way to excel biotech technology development. Book your call at www.bruehlmann-consulting.com/call/
One bad CDMO decision can cost you two years and your Series A. If you're navigating tech transfer, CDMO selection, or IND prep, let's talk before it gets expensive. Two slots open this month.