The latest generation of biologics are becoming increasingly difficult and costly to produce using conventional mammalian systems. These rely on constitutive “always on” expression of the target gene, which can overwhelm cellular machinery, limiting protein yield and driving up production costs —especially for complex or toxic proteins.
These obstacles can be overcome using molecular optogenetics, a technology that employs genetically encoded, light-sensitive proteins to precisely control gene expression. By decoupling growth from production, cells can first reach high density before switching to efficient protein expression. Coupling this with closed-loop control enables the ability to dynamically tune protein expression to maximize titer, improving manufacturability.
Deniz Kent, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of Prolific Machines will discuss how the development of optogenetically-enabled cell lines and bioprocessing can be used to accelerate the production of next-generation biologics.
