Digitalization concepts in academic bioprocess development

Abstract

Digitalization with integrated devices, digital and physical assistants, automation, and simulation is setting a new direction for laboratory work. Even with complex research workflows, high staff turnover, and a limited budget some laboratories have already shown that digitalization is indeed possible. However, academic bioprocess laboratories often struggle to follow the trend of digitalization. Due to their diverse research circumstances, high variety of team composition, goals, and limitations the concepts are substantially different. Here, we will provide an overview on different aspects of digitalization and describe how academic laboratories successfully digitalized their working environment. The key aspect is the collaboration and communication between IT-experts and scientific staff. The developed digital infrastructure is only useful if it supports the laboratory worker and does not complicate their work. Thereby, laboratory researchers have to collaborate closely with IT-experts in order for a well-developed and maintainable digitalization concept that fits their individual needs and level of complexity. This review may serve as a starting point or a collection of ideas for the transformation toward a digitalized laboratory.