Smart Biotech Scientist | The CMC and Biomanufacturing Podcast for Bioprocess 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 Bioprocess Development and Manufacturing Leaders
238: High-Throughput Microbial Screening: Avoiding Early Mistakes That Derail Scale-Up with Sebastian Blum - Part 2
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
For many biotech innovators, high-throughput screening platforms promise faster discoveries and streamlined workflows. Yet beneath the surface, the reality is more demanding, requiring hands-on expertise, careful assay design, and a sharp understanding of microbial physiology to avoid mistakes that become expensive to fix downstream.
David Brühlmann continues his conversation with Sebastian Blum, Market Development Manager in Europe at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, who brings a practical, unvarnished perspective to high-throughput screening. Drawing on conversations with startups, pharma, and CDMOs, Sebastian digs into what separates "push-button" automation myths from hard-won bioprocess mastery. From evaluating technical fit to troubleshooting real-world applications, he advocates for a nuanced approach, one focused on fit-for-purpose tools and critical thinking over technology hype.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Practical advice for startups considering systems like the BioLector XT Microbioreactor, including the need for technical expertise and tailored applications (02:34)
- Scenarios where the BioLector XT Microbioreactor is the best fit (flexibility, multiple microorganisms, modular upgrades) (04:22)
- The most common mistakes scientists make with screening technologies, and why specialized personnel are still essential (06:45)
- How automation, robotics, and AI are shaping the future of early-stage bioprocess development, and why core engineering principles remain vital (08:14)
- Tips for evaluating screening tool placement in your process and aligning technology with your application needs (11:13)
If you're making decisions about high-throughput screening platforms and want to avoid costly missteps before scale-up, this episode delivers the clarity you need.
Connect with Sebastian Blum:
LinkedIn: www.de.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-blum-76240b3b
Beckman Coulter Life Sciences: www.beckman.com
Next step:
Need fast CMC guidance? → Get rapid CMC decision support here