The Pre-Pilot Plant (PPP) is a translational research and development core section focused on bioprocess development and commercialisation of bio-based products from ideation to first prototype production.
The objective of the PPP is to attract and collaborate on both academic research, as well as industry-developed projects that fit the mission and vision of the Center.
The various operational units of the PPP are capable to accelerate and develop cell factories and bioprocesses to reach early commercial-level performance (TRL 5-7*) in a short period. We apply industrial standards, compliance, mindset and workflow in an integrated and agile design-build-test-learn environment. The international and interdisciplinary staff of the core consists of technicians, engineers and natural scientists, many with an industry career background.
We employ a broad range of innovative technologies, including automation, bioinformatics solutions on design, data capture and monitoring, In-Process-Control analytics, various bioreactors for strain optimisation (e.g. Sartorius ambr® 250 platform) as well as in vivo scale-down/-up to 150L volume. The downstream development is equipped with various unit operations from laboratory scale to pilot scale (up to 200kg). It includes solid-liquid separation, various filtration, liquid-liquid separation, evaporation, multiple chromatography columns, crystallisation etc. We rely on excellent partnerships of technology providers who have decades of production and manufacturing experience – The Pre-Pilot Plant provides scalable solutions, which can be implemented at industrial scale.
We operate with customer feedback, product specifications and “the-end-in-mind” under BSL1, non-GMP, no ATEX conditions.
* Expanded Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Definitions for the Bioeconomy. Biofuelsdigest.com. Retrieved 7 November 2020
* Technology readiness levels (TRL); Extract from Part 19 - Commission Decision C(2014)4995" (PDF). ec.europa.eu. 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2019