Eliminating Data Silos to Improve Biomanufacturing Consistency

Jerry Keybl, senior vice president and general manager of fluid management at Avantor, discusses the growing role of digital integration and data-driven technologies in bioprocessing in the second half of an interview with BioPharm International® as INTERPHEX 2026 wound to a close. INTERPHEX was held on April 21–23 in New York City.

He emphasizes the importance of connectivity and predictive analytics in modern manufacturing environments. As biopharmaceutical production becomes increasingly complex, he explains, the ability to collect, integrate, and act on process data is emerging as a key differentiator in operational performance.

Keybl notes that advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin technologies are accelerating the shift toward more predictive and automated manufacturing systems. These tools rely on high-quality, accessible data to enable real-time monitoring and control, with potential future applications including parametric release strategies. However, the effectiveness of these systems depends on overcoming longstanding challenges related to fragmented data infrastructure.

A central concern is the persistence of what Keybl identifies as “data islands,” in which process data is collected but remains siloed within individual instruments or systems. To address this, new integration approaches are being developed to ensure seamless communication between equipment and control platforms, allowing data to be used more effectively across the manufacturing process, he says.

How does digital integration improve predictive control in bioprocessing?

By enabling greater data connectivity, integrated systems can support predictive control strategies that identify process deviations before they impact product quality. Keybl highlights examples, such as detecting flow disruptions or leaks in fluid management systems, which can improve consistency and reduce manufacturing errors.

“Instrumentation, for a while, has existed to collect data, but it tends to get trapped if there is not a way to get it out in a useful form to be used across a process,” Keybl notes.

Efforts to standardize integration across equipment, from small-scale development tools to large-scale manufacturing systems, are also aimed at improving scalability. Ensuring consistent performance across stages allows process development and manufacturing scientists to focus on optimizing product-specific parameters rather than troubleshooting infrastructure limitations, he says.

Keybl adds that aligning digital capabilities with evolving regulatory expectations will be essential, particularly as new requirements emerge around data integrity, material traceability, and product quality. Enhanced digital ecosystems are expected overall to support more efficient, reliable, and scalable biopharmaceutical manufacturing, he concludes.

Watch more from Keybl’s INTERPHEX interview here.

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About the speaker

Jerry Keybl, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Fluid Handling, Avantor

Keybl heads up Avantor’s Masterflex Fluid Management business, where he leads end-to-end strategy, operations, and execution across a portfolio serving life sciences, research, and industrial applications. Prior to this role, he served as senior vice president of Biopharma Products and Strategy at Avantor, where he oversaw the bioprocessing portfolio and drove alignment across product innovation, commercialization, and long-term growth initiatives. Keybl previously held leadership roles spanning product management, marketing, and strategy at MilliporeSigma, with a particular focus on cell and gene therapies. Earlier in his career, he was a project leader at Boston Consulting Group, advising clients on strategic and operational initiatives.