Keynote Presentation: Quantifying Biological Parameters with Online Flow Cytometry - Boosting Bioprocesses by Providing Single-Cell Data in 24/7 Resolution with Live Q&A

Flow cytometry is a powerful method for the quantification of cells, unparalleled by other technologies thanks to its combination of analysis speed and data quality. Especially for biological parameters like cell phenotype, flow cytometry provides powerful single-cell insights, reflecting critical quality attributes highly relevant for bioprocess development and monitoring. The use of flow cytometry is limited though, due to its complexity in sample preparation and expert know-how. Here, we present use cases of an online flow cytometry technology that allows to track biological parameters in biological processes hands-off and around-the-clock. We will dive into several examples of how online flow cytometry can be used to quantify community dynamics, covering diverse bioprocesses (microbial, CHO cells). Our procedure allows for the online automated determination of cell concentrations and culture parameters (such as different strains and phenotypes), generating suitable data for powerful automated data analysis and interpretation pipelines. This can be immensely useful to monitor and optimize bioprocesses.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Discuss benefits and drawbacks of the analysis method flow cytometry.

2. Summarize why process analytical technology for biological parameters is important.

3. Explain four different examples of cell culture dynamics in a bioprocess.