Abstract

The Biologicalisation of Medicine and Manufacturing

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

The biologicalization (or the biological transformation) of manufacturing is essentially the use of digital manufacturing approaches (Industry 4.0) with biological and bio-inspired principles to support more efficient and sustainable manufacturing.  It creates a biomimetic  design – from reactions, equipment, and assemblies to materials, processes, and facilities.  For example, Nobel Prize winner Frances H. Arnold invented systems directing the evolution of enzymes now routinely used in development catalysts in manufacturing.  This approach to biologicalisation of processes is dependent upon advances in biochemistry, many of the ‘omics, as well as genetic engineering.  From another direction, advances in fermentation and cell-culture technologies is supplying a cell-based biologicalisation of processes.  Harmonization of digital principals with bio-integrated systems supports processes composed not only of biological chemistries, but of engineered organoids, tissues and cells. As supported by nano/micro-technology, cell-based systems can enable the goals of sustainability, economy and efficiency in research and therapeutics.