Prof. Michael Stumpf
Prof. University of Melbourne
CSO at Cell Bauhaus

From sequence to digital twin: closing the prediction gap in precision fermentation

Precision fermentation is approaching an inflection point. Demand is growing, biofoundry infrastructure is reaching impressive scales, and strain engineering is taking centre stage across the sector. Nevertheless there is a persistent prediction gap: organisms optimised in shake flasks routinely underperform in production-scale fermenters, and the gap is discovered empirically rather than anticipated computationally. Bioengineering is arguably unique among the engineering disciplines in not having a robust set of in silico tools for the design and computational analysis prior to building. 
I will argue that this (i) has been detrimental to parts of the industry, and (ii) is poised to change with the availability of digital twin technology for strain design and scale-up. I will illustrate this with examples where mechanistic and hybrid (mechanistic modelling + AI) approaches are speeding up strain design by orders of magnitude and I will map out where the current limitations are and how we will be able to overcome them. 

Biography:
Michael Stumpf is Professor for Theoretical Systems Biology and an ARC Laureate Fellow at the University of Melbourne.
Michael studied physics and mathematics at the Universities of Tübingen and Göttingen, and he completed his DPhil in Statistical Physics at Oxford in 1999.
After this he moved into biology with the support of Fellowships from the Wellcome Trust at Oxford and then UCL. From 2003 until 2018 he was Professor for Theoretical Systems Biology at Imperial College London, where he developed and directed research and research training programmes in computational, systems and synthetic biology. His fundamental research is focused on cell-fate decision making processes and the development of new computational, mathematical, and statistical approaches to investigate and control cellular processes. Michael has an outstanding track record in developing diverse and multidisciplinary research teams.

Dr Brentan Alexander

CTO Roebling

Enabling Engineering Teams with AI: How AI is Reshaping Early stage Bioprocess Development

The bioprocessing industry faces a structural challenge in early stage project development where teams must evaluate dozens of interrelated design, cost, and operational decisions under deep uncertainty, yet the tools available to them were built for a world of known inputs and fixed process decisions. 
AI is beginning to change this. Not by replacing engineering judgement, but by augmenting it. AI-enabled tools can now suggest process configurations, estimate equipment parameters, and propagate design changes across integrated process-cost financial models in real time. This shifts the feasibility workflow from a slow, sequential process into a  dynamic, team driven exploration of the decision space. 
This keynote explores what it means to augment bioprocess development teams with AI. Drawing on experience from hundreds of techno-economic analyses across biomanufacturing, food and agriculture, critical minerals, and decarbonization infrastructure. We’ll examine where AI delivers genuine leverage in early stage feasibility where it falls short and what the implications are for how teams structure their work. The talk will cover how AI changes the economics of scenario analysis, enabling teams to move from single-point estimates to range-based uncertainty aware decision making. Then address the practical reality of integrating AI tools into existing engineering workflows without sacrificing rigor or transparency.  Attendees will leave with a practical framework for evaluating where AI can accelerate their own feasibility and scale-up work 

Biography:
Brentan Alexander, Ph.D. is the CTO of Roebling, an AI-enabled platform that unifies process simulation, cost estimation, and financial modeling for industrial infrastructure projects. He previously served as President of New Energy Risk where he oversaw and deployed capital across clean energy and industrial technology. Brentan holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and is a member of the Bioeconomy 500.

Andrew Hodder
VP Manufacturing and Site Head,
CSL Behring Broadmeadows

Behind the scenes ISPE’s 2025 Facility of the Year.

Andrew Hodder, the Manufacturing and Site Head for CSL Behring Broadmeadows, located in Victoria, will take you behind the scenes of CSL’s new $800m Base Fractionation Facility, which incorporates cutting-edge technologies with a pioneering hybrid manufacturing platform. The facility subsequently went on to win the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) award for Facility of the Year for 2025.
The Facility is purpose-built to optimise the production of plasma-derived therapies for conditions such as immunodeficiencies, neurological disorders, and burns, and is the biggest of its kind on the world, capable of processing over 10 million litres annually. The facility also won the ISPE Pharma 4.0 Award in 2025 for its advanced use of digital technologies and automation to transform pharmaceutical manufacturing.
In reflecting on the facility, Andrew will also reflect on CSL’s continued investment in Australian Biotech Manufacturing, including the recent opening of a dedicated Influenza Manufacturing Facility alongside CSL’s unique CBD-based R&D laboratories.

Biography:
Andrew Hodder was appointed VP Manufacturing & Site Head at Broadmeadows in July 2021, having previously worked as the Project Director for Project Aurora, the project that built the base fractionation facility.
Andrew is an accomplished operations leader, with over 30 years of biopharmaceutical experience in roles across production management, supply chain, operational excellence, strategic planning, capital program management, colleague and culture development, validation and business development. Andrew earned his Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree from the University of Melbourne.