It started as a flash of insight. A small team of scientists, seeking a market for their proprietary imaging technology, came across some research on the natural presence of autofluorescent molecules in all living cells. And suddenly, they saw new synergies for pharmaceutical quality control.

The idea? Excited by a short pulse of blue light, viable microcolonies could actually announce their presence by radiating green fluorescent light, long before they were visible to the naked eye. As colonies grew bigger and brighter, automatic imaging and recording technology could be used to build a time-series and distinguish colonies from fluorescent debris. Such a technology could support microbial enumeration with a level of accuracy equivalent to traditional compendial methods, only in less time with less potential for human error.

Research by the Biophorum Operations Group (BPOG) points to the following advantages for biopharma companies that successfully adopt automated colony counting systems:

• Superior data integrity, meeting regulatory and competitive demands for secure audit trails and paperless LIMS integration
• Faster results, leading to quicker decision-making and product changeover
• Improved productivity for QC personnel freed to pursue high-value tasks
• Standardization across labs, faster lot release, and supply chain flexibility

If you have additional questions about automating rapid microbial detection and enumeration for your QC microbiology, visit Rapid Micro Biosystems or click on the Request Information button below to contact the supplier.