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Bioengineering and Automation
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Digitalising biomanufacturing - from cell-level mechanisms to industrial plants - for better bioprocesses
The Bioengineering and Automation group applies its expertise in bioengineering to advance biomanufacturing of proteins, cells, and nucleic acids. We develop scalable, robust, and digitally-enabled platforms that improve process control, product quality, and manufacturability across modalities. This is accomplished through three tightly-coupled focus areas: (1) instrumentation and automation, (2) microfluidics and miniaturization, and (3) biomaterials engineering and biofabrication modalities.
Focus Areas
- Instrumentation and Automation – Integration of sensing and control architectures to enable feedback control, process mechanisation
- Microfluidics and Miniaturization – Design and fabrication of bespoke solutions, e.g. chip-scale flow control and cell manipulation devices
- Biomaterials Engineering – Development novel biomaterials that support and direct cell differentiation, maturation, and/or proliferation
Our Capabilities
Instrumentation Prototyping
Hardware development; integration of in- and at-line analytics; liquid handling
Microfluidics Fabrication
CNC milling and 3D printing
Biomaterials Processing
Scaffolds, hydrogels, aerogels, bioinks, coatings and cell-material Interactions
Biofabrication Platforms
Freeze-drying, bioprinting, electrospinning, stereolithography, roll-to-roll printing
In vitro and In vivo Validations
Organoid/spheroid culture, biochemical assays, immunofluorescence, cell proliferation/differentiation assays, PCR, small animal models etc.
Our Technologies
Non-Viral Cell Manufacturing
Combining our mechanoporation fluidic device with novel vector design for manufacturing cell therapies, e.g. CAR-T, CAR-NK, and other novel modalities, with durable effects.Macroporous Hydrogel Bioprinting
Granular bioink used to create scaffolds with highly-porous microarchitecture to support high density cell culture. When applied to bioprinting of organoids and vascular cells, we can create vascularized constructs, as a way to deliver organoid-based cell therapies. Alternatively, approach can be applied to microbial cells to create whole-cell biocatalysts and microbial cell factories.Automated Aseptic Sampling Device
Portable, programmable device designed to achieve zero dead volume, aseptic sampling through novel sequence of liquid handling stepsPlatform for producing tissue membranes from cell spheroids
A platform technology with broad applications in cell and tissue biomanufacturing, including cartilage, bone, liver, cardiac, pancreatic, and neural tissues. Demonstrated cartilage tissue membranes derived from human mesenchymal stem cells, validated via multiple in vitro assays, which exhibited key cartilage features. The team has successfully secured an NMRC-OF-IRG grant to demonstrate clinical applications.Engineering edible substrates and scaffolds
This addresses the industrial need of developing low-cost, animal-free scaffolds for cultivated meat production, which is crucial for replicating the structural complexity of traditional meat and facilitating CM biomanufacturing. Successful development of CM prototypes using decellularised plant-based scaffolds with co-cultured muscle and fat cells. It also incorporates a low-cost, animal-free, edible coating strategy for the natural scaffolds, which is customisable.Scaffold manufacturing at scale and precision
A proprietary semi-automated hydrogel production system (first-in-class) for streamlined process optimisation and scalable manufacturing. This ensures consistent production of large, thin hydrogels with less labour and less training. It is geared towards cell and tissue therapy applications.
The Team
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.jpg?sfvrsn=29d327d4_0 "Deepak Choudhury (resized)")
.jpg?sfvrsn=91d47d24_0 "Chen Sixun (resized)")
.jpg?sfvrsn=2335eba7_0 "Le Quang Bach (resized)")
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Our Track Record
Featured Publications
- Quang Bach Le, Hariharan Ezhilarasu, Weng Wan Chan, Alok Tanala Patra, Priya Murugan, Shashaank Abhinav Venkatesh, Yean Kai Tay, Shin Ru Lim, Ahmad Amirul Abdul Rahim, Jia Sheng Zach Lee, Xuezhi Bi and Deepak Choudhury (2025) A platform for Bioengineering Tissue Membranes from cell spheroids. Materials Today Bio 31:101526
- Priyatharshini Murugan, Wee Swan Yap, Hariharan Ezhilarasu, Ratima Suntornnond, Quang Bach Le, Satnam Singh, Jasmine Si Han Seah, Pei Leng Tan, Weibiao Zhou, Lay Poh Tan and Deepak Choudhury (2024) Decellularised plant scaffolds facilitate porcine skeletal muscle tissue engineering for cultivated meat biomanufacturing. npj Science of Food 8(1): 25
- Weng Wan Chan, Keya Rani Roy, Bach Quang Le, Hariharan Ezhilarasu, Xiaoqian Zhang, Ryan Yi Da Lim, Avinanda Banerjee, Mariya Kuriakose, Krystle Joy Ng, Priya Murugan, Chun Ting Goh, Weibiao Zhou, May Win Naing, Srikala Raghavan and Deepak Choudhury (2024) A Novel Crosslinking Approach for Biomanufacturing of a Collagen-Based Skin Dermal Template. Macromolecular Bioscience e2400457
- Fang Yu, Nivasini Selva Kumar, Satnam Singh, Walter Hunziker, Sum Huan Ng and Deepak Choudhury (2021) Isolation of primary brain endothelial cells, pericytes and astrocytes on a microfluidic immunopanning chip (MIC). Microfluidics and Nanofluidics 25: 25
Landmark IP and Patents
- A membrane holding device for producing a tissue membrane, a method of producing a tissue membrane, and a tissue membrane construct (2024)
- Methods and apparatus for decellularization of biological tissues and organs (2022)
- Method of forming a structure in contact with an object and a related system (2021)
- Device for cell culture and method for culturing cells (2018)
- Fluid support continuous three-dimensional printer (2018)
- Devices, systems and methods for intracellular delivery of substances (2017)
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