Nexus: Intelligent Manufacturing Systems for Sustainable Bioprocessing

While single-use (SU) systems offer flexibility and reduce the reliance on solvents and steam, they generate approximately 30,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually---a figure expected to double by 2026\. This significant environmental impact underscores the necessity for innovative solutions that maintain the benefits of SU systems while substantially reducing their carbon footprint. Project Nexus brings together expertise in advanced manufacturing automation, digital design and optimisation, material innovation and bioprocessing to pioneer the additive manufacturing (AM) of bioreactors at scale, offering a greener and more efficient alternative to SU bioreactors with improved circularity and end-of-life pathways, all while retaining the flexibility of disposable systems. Nexus will pioneer the design and manufacture of new bioreactors using AM and bio-based, eco-friendly materials. The bioreactors will be tested for applications in pharmaceuticals R&D and point-of-care manufacture as primary applications. We will also explore avenues for reusing them in industrial biotechnology, e.g. to produce green chemicals. The Nexus team will integrate a rigorous analysis of the technical, economic and environmental impact of the bioreactors, their manufacture and end-of-life disposal to demonstrate the benefits of a transition to AM.