Interactive Breakout Discussions

Interactive Breakout Discussions are informal, moderated discussions, allowing participants to exchange ideas and experiences and develop future collaborations around a focused topic. Each discussion will be led by a facilitator who keeps the discussion on track and the group engaged. To get the most out of this format, please come prepared to share examples from your work, be a part of a collective, problem-solving session, and participate in active idea sharing. 

These will take place IN-PERSON ONLY.

Wednesday, 19 March, 2025: 18:00 – 18:30

Digital Bioprocessing and Industry 4.0: How Far Along Are We?
Mark Duerkop, CEO, Novasign GmbH

  • Critical evaluation of the current industrial evolution
  • AI vs mechanistic modelling: what to choose?
  • Workflow vs data: where to invest?
  • Outlook on how AI will change the way of bioprocessing in the future​

Virus Clearance Strategies in Bioprocessing
Alois Jungbauer, PhD, Professor & Head, Biotechnology, Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, BOKU University

  • ICH Q5 A (R1) Revision: Viral safety Evaluation of Biotechnology 
  • Products Derived from Cell Lines of Human or Animal Origin Expectations
  • What has changed and the Impact on bioprocessing
  • Viral clearance strategies in continuous processing
  • Virus removal​

Sustainability in Biomanufacturing
Clare Thompson, Global Change Facilitator, BioPhophorum

  • Explore the main environmental concerns in biomanufacturing such as water use, plastics, and energy consumption
  • Examine a structured framework that guides organizations in enhancing their sustainability practices
  • Discuss specific measures that can be implemented by manufacturing facilities to minimize their environmental impact
  • Critical environmental challenges in biomanufacturing and innovative solutions to address them

Developability Assessment of Biotherapeutics – A Solved Problem or an Outstanding Challenge?
Hristo Svilenov, PhD, Associate Professor, TUM

  • Common developability pitfalls for novel modalities (e.g., bispecifics, ADCs)
  • Strategies for mitigating aggregation, instability, and immunogenicity
  • Real-world constraints in applying developability frameworks
  • Evolving regulatory expectations for developability data​