The AI-optimised BALANCE (Bioreactor Automation for Learning and Adaptive Networked Control of Experiments) platform will bring together the combined expertise of CPI (UK), Basetwo (Canada), Nicoya (Canada), and Labman Automation (UK), supported by a $2 million grant from Innovate UK and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).
At the core of this 20-month collaboration is the creation of a demonstrator platform that integrates smart bioreactor technologies, real-time sensing, AI-driven optimisation, and advanced modular automation. Labman will design and build a fully automated modular sampling system, enabling molecular analysis of cell cultures with minimal manual intervention. This will seamlessly integrate with Nicoya’s Alto SPR biosensor to deliver instant feedback on yield and quality, providing adaptive control over the process in real-time.
The BALANCE system is underpinned by Basetwo’s digital twin technology, a machine learning platform that interprets real-time data from biosensors and bioreactors to make intelligent decisions about process conditions. This closed-loop control system enables continuous optimisation, predicting outcomes and reducing the need for costly lab-based testing.
By streamlining upstream bioprocessing and enabling dynamic control, this project aims to improve yield, scalability, and speed to market for biologic therapeutics. CPI will lead system validation, ensuring the platform is not only technically robust, but scalable and commercially viable.
This collaboration marks a major step forward in the digitisation of biologics manufacturing. For Labman, it’s another exciting opportunity to demonstrate how intelligent, flexible automation can transform complex scientific processes, and we’re thrilled to be at the forefront.