In this study, a class of dynamic models based on metabolic reaction pathways is analyzed, showing that systems with complex intracellular reaction networks can be represented by macroscopic reactions relating extracellular components only. Based on rigorous assumptions, the model reduction procedure is systematic and allows equivalent `input–output' representations of the system to be derived. The procedure is illustrated with a few examples, and a comparison is made with another recently published method for generating and evaluating macroscopic reaction schemes.

In this study, a semi-analytical computational procedure, which allows bioprocess model parameters to be quickly evaluated from experimental data, is developed and illustrated with an application example. The approximate model can be used to investigate the qualitative behavior of key components of interest and to check modeling assumptions. The approximate model parameter values can also be used as starting points for more rigorous identification methods.

Bioprocess models are often uncertain due to the lack of experimental data for structure selection and parameter estimation. Maximum-likelihood parameter estimation techniques, which take the measurement errors into account, allow confidence intervals in the identified parameters to be evaluated. In turn, this information can be advantageously exploited in the design of (more) robust state estimators (or software sensors) for process monitoring and control. In this paper, the formulation of continuous-discrete Kalman filters and receding horizon observers are extended to include a posteriori knowledge on model parameter uncertainties. These extended observers/filters are then successfully applied to a real-case study, i.e., animal cell cultures in perfusion mode.

Modeling and parameter identification are important prerequisites for state estimation and control of complex biological systems in bioengineering. Due to the great variety of cell lines and the rapidity of developments in genetics, biosystems have to be investigated in a fast and efficient way to identify the major metabolic phenomena. This paper proposes a systematic modeling procedure, which enables the description of the most important experimental settings and biological effects in terms of stoichiometry, kinetics and metabolic regulation. This procedure is successfully applied to the real case of a perfused mammalian cell culture of non-transfected CHO-K1 cells in suspension.

Biofilters consisting of packed bed columns are efficient devices for purification of ground- or wastewater from solid and toxic components. In this work, a biofilter for nitrification is equipped with a porous bed of Manganese dioxide particles, which offers the support for the formation of a biofilm and which, in addition, adsorbs ammonium. Experiments are performed to study the distributed parameter behavior of key state variables, e.g. biomass and nitrogenous components, and a dynamic model described by partial differential equations is derived. Several unknown model parameters are estimated from measurements collected in the course of these experiments. The resulting model is in good agreement with the experimental data.

In this study, a class of dynamic models based on metabolic reaction pathways is analyzed, showing that systems with complex intracellular reaction networks can be represented by macroscopic reactions relating extracellular components only. Based on rigorous assumptions, the model reduction procedure is systematic and allows an equivalent 'input-output' representation of the system to be derived. The procedure is illustrated with a few examples.

In this study a class of dynamic models based on metabolic reaction pathways is analysed, showing that systems with complex intracellular reaction networks can be represented by macroscopic reactions relating extracellular components only. Based on rigorous assumptions, the model reduction procedure is systematic and allows an equivalent 'input-output' representation of the system to be derived. The procedure is illustrated with a few examples.