David Vonester, Kyra Hoffmann, Thomas Palmen, Lena Regestein, Ulrike Richter, Anna-Lena Altenhoff, Maximilian Hoffmann, Yulia Radeva, Jochen Büchs, Jørgen Barsett Magnus
Foam formation in stirred tank fermentation processes is a well-studied phenomenon. However, foaming in shake flask cultivations is rarely considered. Non-baffled shake flasks, in particular, are generally considered to prevent foaming problems. However, under certain process conditions, foaming in non-baffled shake flasks can occur. In this study, phenomena of foam formation in shake flasks, their impact on the maximum oxygen transfer capacity (OTRmax), and experimental reproducibility are investigated. It is shown that foaming events in shake flasks can increase the OTRmax by up to threefold. This enhanced OTRmax alters process conditions and, thereby, affects the reproducibility of experiments. Foaming in shake flasks can be induced by elements such as conventional baffles or sensor spots that are used for online measurement. Moreover, a connection between the out-of-phase phenomenon and foam formation was discovered in non-baffled shake flasks. This is especially important when cultivating microorganisms at elevated viscosities. Hence, foaming in shake flasks should be considered as significantly altering process conditions, compared to non-foaming cultures. Ensuring in-phase cultivation conditions and unhindered liquid flow in shake flasks may help to avoid foaming.
Practical application: This work provides insights into foam formation in non-baffled shake flasks and its resulting implications. Foaming can increase the maximum oxygen transfer capacity and, thus, affect process conditions. The reproducibility can be severely reduced, and a comparison between foaming and non-foaming cultivations is only possible to a limited extent. Foaming can be induced by baffles or internals, such as small sensor spots, used for online monitoring. Additionally, foaming can be caused by the out-of-phase phenomenon. This is of particular importance when cultivating microorganisms at elevated viscosities. This paper is intended to raise awareness of the topic of foam formation in the shake flask and help to correctly interpret this phenomenon.
{"title":"Foam Formation in Shake Flasks and Its Consequences","authors":"David Vonester, Kyra Hoffmann, Thomas Palmen, Lena Regestein, Ulrike Richter, Anna-Lena Altenhoff, Maximilian Hoffmann, Yulia Radeva, Jochen Büchs, Jørgen Barsett Magnus","doi":"10.1002/elsc.70057","DOIUrl":"10.1002/elsc.70057","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Foam formation in stirred tank fermentation processes is a well-studied phenomenon. However, foaming in shake flask cultivations is rarely considered. Non-baffled shake flasks, in particular, are generally considered to prevent foaming problems. However, under certain process conditions, foaming in non-baffled shake flasks can occur. In this study, phenomena of foam formation in shake flasks, their impact on the maximum oxygen transfer capacity (OTR<sub>max</sub>), and experimental reproducibility are investigated. It is shown that foaming events in shake flasks can increase the OTR<sub>max</sub> by up to threefold. This enhanced OTR<sub>max</sub> alters process conditions and, thereby, affects the reproducibility of experiments. Foaming in shake flasks can be induced by elements such as conventional baffles or sensor spots that are used for online measurement. Moreover, a connection between the out-of-phase phenomenon and foam formation was discovered in non-baffled shake flasks. This is especially important when cultivating microorganisms at elevated viscosities. Hence, foaming in shake flasks should be considered as significantly altering process conditions, compared to non-foaming cultures. Ensuring in-phase cultivation conditions and unhindered liquid flow in shake flasks may help to avoid foaming.</p><p><i>Practical application:</i> This work provides insights into foam formation in non-baffled shake flasks and its resulting implications. Foaming can increase the maximum oxygen transfer capacity and, thus, affect process conditions. The reproducibility can be severely reduced, and a comparison between foaming and non-foaming cultivations is only possible to a limited extent. Foaming can be induced by baffles or internals, such as small sensor spots, used for online monitoring. Additionally, foaming can be caused by the out-of-phase phenomenon. This is of particular importance when cultivating microorganisms at elevated viscosities. This paper is intended to raise awareness of the topic of foam formation in the shake flask and help to correctly interpret this phenomenon.</p>","PeriodicalId":11678,"journal":{"name":"Engineering in Life Sciences","volume":"25 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12541551/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145354080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fixed-bed bioreactors for anchorage-dependent cells are an obvious choice for development because of their large-scale capabilities, allowing manufacturing with reduced cost and footprint. In this study, a serum-free production process for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in a single-use fixed-bed bioreactor was developed and compared to conventional roller bottle production as a productivity benchmark. After optimization of serum-free cell culture conditions, an initial media screening in roller bottles showed a strong impact of growth and production media on virus yields. Selected optimized medium combinations were assessed in roller bottles and the fixed-bed bioreactor. Both systems proved to be excellent production systems for JEV, but media choice was key to achieve the highest titers. In particular, DMEM with its enriched glucose content beneficially affected viral yields, enabling potential large-scale manufacturing using the fixed-bed reactor with serum-containing or serum-free media.
Practical application: Data presented in this work show feasible ways of serum-free virus production with Vero cells, a common cell substrate in vaccine development. The fixed-bed bioreactor process described here could facilitate manufacturing activities to reduce cost and footprint while simultaneously achieving higher process control compared to conventional manufacturing systems like roller bottles. With a much better upscale potential (up to 500 m2) the fixed-bed bioreactor showed comparable or better yields to roller bottles depending on media used, even with serum-free media. This research article further emphasizes the need to optimize cell culture media or media combinations for each virus individually to achieve the highest titers. As shown, performing a simple media screening experiment to optimize yields early in process development could lead to better productivity, with a high business impact in later development stages.
{"title":"Serum-Free Japanese Encephalitis Virus Production in a Single-Use Fixed-Bed Bioreactor","authors":"Marco Kress, Robert Schlegl, Alois Jungbauer","doi":"10.1002/elsc.70052","DOIUrl":"10.1002/elsc.70052","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fixed-bed bioreactors for anchorage-dependent cells are an obvious choice for development because of their large-scale capabilities, allowing manufacturing with reduced cost and footprint. In this study, a serum-free production process for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in a single-use fixed-bed bioreactor was developed and compared to conventional roller bottle production as a productivity benchmark. After optimization of serum-free cell culture conditions, an initial media screening in roller bottles showed a strong impact of growth and production media on virus yields. Selected optimized medium combinations were assessed in roller bottles and the fixed-bed bioreactor. Both systems proved to be excellent production systems for JEV, but media choice was key to achieve the highest titers. In particular, DMEM with its enriched glucose content beneficially affected viral yields, enabling potential large-scale manufacturing using the fixed-bed reactor with serum-containing or serum-free media.</p><p><i>Practical application:</i> Data presented in this work show feasible ways of serum-free virus production with Vero cells, a common cell substrate in vaccine development. The fixed-bed bioreactor process described here could facilitate manufacturing activities to reduce cost and footprint while simultaneously achieving higher process control compared to conventional manufacturing systems like roller bottles. With a much better upscale potential (up to 500 m<sup>2</sup>) the fixed-bed bioreactor showed comparable or better yields to roller bottles depending on media used, even with serum-free media. This research article further emphasizes the need to optimize cell culture media or media combinations for each virus individually to achieve the highest titers. As shown, performing a simple media screening experiment to optimize yields early in process development could lead to better productivity, with a high business impact in later development stages.</p>","PeriodicalId":11678,"journal":{"name":"Engineering in Life Sciences","volume":"25 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12541546/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145354054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}