The analysis of single cells, instead of the measurement of typically off-line process parameters as optical density, cell number, product yield, exhausted gas and metabolites, enables an improved understanding of the cellular population.

Especially in large bioprocesses, the micro environment of each cell is different depending on the time and place. Thus, the cells within one bioprocess might have different morphologic characteristics. In monocultures the morphology is influenced by the cell cycle, cultivation conditions or cell aging. In mixed cultures, single cell analysis can be used to distinguish different microorganisms and though monitor the cultural composition quantitatively.

The mixture is dependent on the microbial community, cultivation conditions and changes during a cultivation process. Furthermore, in-line or in-situ detection of single-cells with microscopy, scattering and absorption or laser light back reflection, enables  the measurement in a non- invasive manner of a process over the hole cultivation time.

M. Sc. Simon Täuber

contact: simon.taeuber@tu-berlin.de