Smart Biotech Scientist | Master Bioprocess CMC Development, Biologics Manufacturing & Scale-up, Cell Culture Innovation
The Go-to Podcast for Biotech Scientists Who Want to Master Biopharma CMC Development and Biomanufacturing.
**TOP 10 LIFE SCIENCES PODCAST**
Are you ready to simplify bioprocess development and scale with confidence to reduce time to market?
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the complexity and guesswork of biologics development and biomanufacturing?
Do you wish you had more time to enjoy the beauty of science, without worrying about failing your cell culture process development and commercialization?
There's a way to simplify and streamline so you can remove complexity, skip trials and errors, deliver your groundbreaking therapy to clinics and market without delay, and still enjoy every single step.
I'm David Brühlmann, a biotech entrepreneur and strategic advisor who partners with C-level biopharma leaders to tackle one of our industry's biggest challenges: reducing manufacturing costs to make lifesaving therapies accessible to more patients worldwide.
Through engaging conversations with industry pioneers and practical insights from the trenches, this podcast tackles the critical challenges in bioprocess CMC development and manufacturing of recombinant proteins and cell and gene therapy products. We cut through the complexity so you can:
- Master bioprocess development with confidence and clarity
- Excel at scale-up and manufacturing of biologics
- Transform your innovative therapy and manufacturing technology into market-ready solutions faster
- Optimize manufacturing costs without compromising quality
- Make data-driven decisions that reduce the risk of failure
I can’t wait to help you do biotech the smart way.
Grab a cup of coffee and your favorite notebook and pen. Now is the time to take your bioprocessing game to the next level.
Ready to transform your biomanufacturing journey? Let's dive in!
Next Steps:
Book a free call to reduce biomanufacturing costs and make lifesaving therapies more accessible: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com/call
🧬 Ready to accelerate your IND timeline? Get the proven CMC Dashboard that's guided successful mAb programs from chaos to submission: https://stan.store/SmartBiotech/p/cmc-dashboard-for-biotech-founders
Accelerate biologics development with expert guidance: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com
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Visit the Website: https://smartbiotechscientist.com
Email us: hello@bruehlmann-consulting.com
Smart Biotech Scientist | Master Bioprocess CMC Development, Biologics Manufacturing & Scale-up, Cell Culture Innovation
208: Cryogenic Infrared Ion Spectroscopy: From Mass Spec Limitations to Molecular Precision with Tom Rizzo - Part 2
What if you could analyze every metabolite, glycan variant, and unknown impurity in your bioprocess sample—not just the targets you're looking for, but everything that's actually there? Cryogenic infrared ion spectroscopy combined (CIRIS) with AI-powered analysis transforms untargeted screening from aspiration to reality.
This episode moves from fundamental principles to practical applications. While Part 1 established how CIRIS overcomes mass spectrometry's structural limitations, Part 2 reveals what becomes possible when you can definitively identify complex mixtures: better mAb characterization, earlier disease detection, and process decisions based on complete data rather than educated guesses.
Professor Tom Rizzo returns to discuss Isospec Analytics' path from laboratory innovation to commercial service platform. His transition from academic leadership at EPFL to biotech entrepreneurship offers insights for any scientist considering whether breakthrough research deserves a startup—and what that journey actually requires.
For bioprocess scientists drowning in unidentified peaks, struggling with glycan heterogeneity, or making critical manufacturing decisions with incomplete analytical data, this conversation demonstrates how next-generation analytics powered by quantum chemistry and machine learning can illuminate what's been hidden in your samples all along.
Episode Highlights:
- Why targeted metabolomics creates a "streetlight effect"—and how untargeted CIRIS analysis reveals the complete molecular landscape (00:00)
- Isomer-specific glycan characterization for mAbs: distinguishing structural variants that impact efficacy and immunogenicity (03:17)
- Advanced disease detection and biomarker discovery: identifying diagnostic signatures in complex biological matrices (05:21)
- AI meets quantum chemistry: automated spectral library building and machine learning algorithms that accelerate molecule identification from hours to seconds (06:05)
- From data generation to decision-making: how comprehensive analytics and AI transform bioprocess development workflows (09:23)
- Isospec's commercial roadmap: service platform for comprehensive sample analysis and projected timeline for benchtop instrumentation (10:09)
- Academic to entrepreneur: Tom Rizzo's perspective on leaving tenure for a startup, with practical advice for scientists evaluating the leap (12:05)
- Personal motivation behind early diagnostics: cancer and leukemia experiences that drive Isospec's clinical applications (14:11)
- Technical deep dive: messenger tagging methodology and achieving single-ion infrared detection sensitivity (15:41)
- The transformative capability: adding a structural dimension to mass spec data that eliminates ambiguity in complex mixture analysis (17:55)
Mass spectrometry tells you what masses are present. Cryogenic infrared ion spectroscopy tells you what molecules they actually are. When coupled with AI-powered analysis, this combination enables truly comprehensive characterization—from process impurity identification to critical quality attribute assessment to early disease biomarker discovery.
If you're making bioprocess decisions with incomplete analytical information, managing glycan complexity in biologics development, or exploring how emerging analytical technologies could solve your toughest characterization challenges, this episode provides both the technical foundation and the commercial pathway forward.
Connect with Tom Ri
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.