Abstract

Digital Biomanufacturing Tools Support Creating 3D Tissue-Like Structures

William G Whitford, Strategic Solutions Leader, GE Healthcare Life Sciences

Digital biomanufacturing refers to such concepts as increased monitoring, control algorithms, machine-learning and process modeling to a new level of process understanding, prediction and control in biotechnology. The IIoT, Big Data and Cloud technologies insure that (historical and real-time) data being collected can be employed productively in richer data management, analysis and model generation. Digital biomanufacturing will assist in the modeling and imaging required to recapitulate the (often personalized) complex and heterogeneous architecture of functional tissues and organs. It will also provide the required coordination and dynamic control of consequent complex tomographic information and models, multimode 3D printing and biofabrication processes, as well as such ancillary procedures as the environmental control of bioinks and nascent constructs. New and even commercially available approaches exist for the processing eg, medical imaging and the results of previous run records. They can generate printing formulas, recipes and fabrication scenarios considering matrix polymerization and integrity constraints. Monitoring and control goals include the printing environment, cell viability and adhesion and matrix assessment. These newer and more powerful algorithms support multi-material and multi-mode bioprinting and can consider the effects of intra-construct gradients and distinctions. Finally, they will assure compliance and reporting to, internal QC, QA and Regulatory.