Edition #3 - Microfluidics, taking early capital and cultured pet-food
James Ryall
Helping to bring biomanufactured products to market faster?? | Strategic advisor and fractional CSO/CTO | ex-Vow, ex-NIH
Hi, I’m James ??
I’m a biotech consultant passionate about biomanufacturing. Every week I share news and stories about the latest innovations across the biomanufacturing value-chain. In each newsletter I share:
?? If you find my content interesting then check out my website (see here) which contains additional stories and (free!) resources for biomanufacturing companies.
???Featured Interview: ??Microfluidics for Downstream Process Optimisation
When it comes to biomanufacturing, the upstream challenges often receive the lions share of attention. Getting the right cell line, into the right media with the best bioprocess to optimise yield is key. But not only is it critical to get the upstream process right, those working in the biomanufacturing space also need to develop and optimise downstream process steps as well. Downstream steps vary depending on the product, but typically involve biomass (or target protein) isolation and purification steps.
Traditionally, centrifugation, whether continuous or batch, has been the go-to solution. But, as we aim for higher volumes, striking a balance between efficiency, speed, and cell integrity becomes a significant challenge ??. This is where innovative approaches like microfluidics come into play.
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of chatting with Monika Tomecka, PhD , the CEO and founder of uFraction8 , a microfluidics device company developing solutions for the biomanufacturing sector. uFraction8 uses precisely patterned chips to separate cells from liquid. Although each chip handles just a tiny volume, by leveraging hundreds or even thousands of these chips in parallel, large volumes can be processed both quickly and gently ??. This approach is crucial for any continuous perfusion process, as it minimises stress to the cells and maximises viability ??.
Not only does the microfluidics device created by uFraction8 maintain cell viability, the multiplexed devices separate cells/solids from liquid using hydrodynamic flow effects rather than pores or density gradients - meaning that the microfluidics-based technology can operate without the complications of adsorption of target molecules leading to pore constriction.
If you are interested in learning more about microfluidics and how it can be applied to your downstream processes, then absolutely reach out to Monika!
?? Story highlight: ??Early Capital is Expensive Capital
Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Tropical Innovation Festival ?? - a must for anyone in the startup ecosystem in Australia. One standout moment was hearing Vu Tran (one of the founders of Go1 ) emphasize, "There is no more expensive capital than the first time you raise." At this stage, your company faces the greatest challenges: immature technology, a small IP portfolio, and high risk. This often means parting with significant equity for relatively modest funding ??.
In recent conversations with first-time, early-stage founders, I've noticed a prevailing eagerness to pursue VC funding prematurely - a path fraught with difficulties and expensive trade-offs ??.
Reflecting on my time at Vow, the lengths to which Tim Noakesmith and George Peppou went to bootstrap their MVP were extraordinary. From leveraging government grants to innovating with available resources (the sous-vide water bath is emblematic of the scrappy spirit adopted by Vow), their journey underscores the essence of entrepreneurial resourcefulness ??. Vow's success, kickstarted by a kangaroo dumpling featured in the WSJ, exemplifies the value of strategic bootstrapping before seeking VC funds ??.
So, here's the takeaway: Early capital comes at a high cost. Exhaust all alternatives - grants, loans, network support - before diluting your equity. When you do raise, maximize every dollar. Explore government and institutional support (in Australia, CSIRO has a number of programs to support early-stage founders, and state governments can provide 1:1 non-dilutive grant funding) to stretch your money further.
领英推荐
Remember, early capital is expensive capital ????.
Shameless self-plug: As someone who works closely with several bootstrapped and pre-seed companies, I understand how challenging it can be to bring in senior advisors without depleting your bootstrapped budget or giving away large chunks of equity—never a good idea at this very early stage. To address these challenges, I've started offering both an upfront and deferred payment option for early-stage startups looking for help during (or in the lead-up to) a fundraise. The deferred payment is only due if your raise is successful, allowing you to access senior expertise without large upfront costs or equity dilution. If you're working in an early-stage startup, please reach out to me at [email protected] - I'd love to chat!
?? Things I’m reading this week
It’s been hard to miss the excitement around Meatly over the last few weeks, which received regulatory clearance to sell cultivated meat for pet food in the UK. While the news itself is very exciting, this in depth (and behind the scenes) article from Green Queen Media is full of really interesting bits and pieces. Not least of which is this statement:
“The UK retained EU regulations post-Brexit, but is now?finally breaking away?and speeding up its own process. The FSA is now set to announce a sliding-scale mechanism for novel foods approval that will take into account products’ track record internationally.”
The cultured pet-food space is growing rapidly (check out BioCraft , Bene Meat Technologies as well as meatly), with several exciting companies working across this space. This approval will likely be the first of many.
Staying in the cultured meat space, I just came across this article from authors in Korea. I often get asked about different cell culture media ingredients - What goes in and why? What is essential? What is replaceable? I’ve also seen a number of NFP’s and NGO’s start working on ingredient databases to explain what each ingredient is and why it is included. While no single paper can ever completely capture all possible ingredients and all possible combinations, this review does an excellent job of detailing all of the key ingredient categories - well worth a read if you want to understand the ingredients in your basal cell culture media.
For those starting out on their bioprocessing journey, this is a fantastic read about the lactate metabolic shift that cells can undergo when cultured under the right conditions. The shift to lactate consumption is desirable as it can lead to higher yields. The article goes into detail about the potential influence of pH, cell density, glucose/lactate levels (and the ratio), mixing time and gas exchange (among others). While the precise conditions required to induce the shift will be unique to each process, this article does a great job of describing the impact of several key variables.
If you want to learn more about the metabolic control of cell division, check out the articles referenced in last weeks newsletter (edition #2).
Until next week,
James
PS- If you are working on something amazing in the biomanufacturing space, then reach out - I’d love to hear from you!
***NOTE: I am not working with any of the companies included in the featured interview. To better support the broader biomanufacturing space, I’ve been conducting a series of interviews with innovative founders and startups using biology to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges, and then sharing those interviews on LinkedIn.
Aspiring Pre-PhD/MBA student with an insatiable desire to create and apply novel ideas in biotech and biomanufacturing.
3 个月That’s an incredible solution to cell handling and separation. I hope precision biomanufacturing companies realize its potential.
Cc Anay Mridul