michaelahenson4

    • Free Release of STBRtutorial MATLAB Application

    In Silico Fermentation is pleased to announce the release of STBRtutorial, a free MATLAB application that provides two step-by-step tutorials that demonstrate how operating policies affect stirred tank bioreactor (STBR) dynamic behavior. Using a simplified metabolic model of Escherichia coli central metabolism, students are guided through an intuitive workflow in which they consider important aspects of defining a STBR problem. The GUI tool generates dynamic predictions of extracellular variables and intracellular-extracellular transport fluxes to facilitate understanding of how cellular metabolism and bioreactor operation interact to determine STBR dynamics.

    STBRtutorial Version 1.0 provides two step-by-step tutorials. The first tutorial illustrates the impact of the liquid medium flow strategy on STBR startup dynamics under anaerobic conditions. Students compare different batch-to-continuous switching times on the approach to continuous flow steady state, demonstrating that the fastest dynamics are achieved when the batch-to-continuous switching occurs near glucose exhaustion. The second tutorial introduces the concept of diauxic growth dynamics in an aerobic batch STBR. Students observe that E. coli can reassimilate secreted acetate following depletion of supplied glucose if sufficient dissolved oxygen is available for acetate oxidation. Different oxygen mass transfer coefficients are explored to demonstrate that diauxic growth dynamics are accelerated as oxygen mass transfer is increased.

    Each tutorial provides step-by-step instructions within the GUI to provide a totally self-contained training experience. Students use the included visualization App to compare and analyze the simulation runs performed. This data analysis work is intended to be open ended so that students can explore the collected simulation data to understand the complex interactions between cellular metabolism and bioreactor operating policies. Plots generated in the visualization App can be saved for inclusion in submitted reports and oral presentations.

    More information about STBRtutorial and the freely downloadable application are available here.