Robust Bioprocess Design and Evaluation of Commercial Media for the Serial Expansion of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Aggregate Cultures in Vertical-Wheel Bioreactors

Many PSC expansion workflows can look successful after one or two passages, but short-term performance does not necessarily prove that a process is ready for scale-up. In this journal article, researchers evaluated commercial PSC media in PBS Biotech’s Vertical-Wheel® bioreactors across both short-term 3D expansion and long-term serial passaging. The study shows how serial 3D passaging can reveal hidden process risks in growth, aggregate morphology, harvest recovery, and cell quality that may not appear during early screening.

Across the media tested, initial 3D expansion suggested broad compatibility, while extended passaging revealed meaningful differences in long-term robustness and downstream scalability. The paper also challenges the assumption that moving from 2D to 3D culture automatically requires new media, reinforcing the value of thoroughly testing existing media before adding new process variables. Download the paper to learn how robust bioprocess design in Vertical-Wheel bioreactors supported long-term iPSC aggregate expansion with maintenance of key quality attributes under selected conditions.