Stem Cell Community Day 2025 to Focus on Process Engineering and Scale-Up Innovation

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The sixth Stem Cell Community Day, slated to take place on November 4–5, 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark, will aim to bring together researchers and industry specialists focused on the complexities of stem cell bioprocessing. Since its debut in 2017, the event has become a platform for discussing how to transform laboratory-scale breakthroughs in cell biology into robust, reproducible manufacturing processes suitable for advanced therapies (1).

For experts working in bio/pharmaceutical technology, the meeting underscores the growing importance of process design in stem cell–based therapies, where success depends not only on biological innovation but also on scalable production.

“The Stem Cell Community Day offers a unique familiar atmosphere that combines science, innovation, and hospitality. It is an exceptional networking opportunity showcasing recent progress in stem cell biotechnology while creating valuable opportunities for career development. I have personally been inspired at each meeting since 2017, including the quality of the program, locations, dining and—most importantly—the warm, personal exchange with the ‘Eppendorf family’, guests and friends,” said Robert Zweigerdt, principal investigator, Hannover Medical School, in a Sept. 4, 2025 company press release (1) as he highlighted the collaborative nature of past gatherings.

What will the technical focus be at this year’s event?

The 2025 Stem Cell Community Day program will center around the transition from small-scale stem cell culture to industrial-scale production. This shift requires balancing biological fidelity with reproducibility and cost efficiency, Eppendorf said in the release. On November 5, the main conference day, speakers from Bayer AG, SmartCella Holding, Hannover Medical School, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, and Zurich University of Applied Sciences will present strategies for process intensification, closed-system operations, and the application of automation technologies (1).

A major theme is expected to be data-driven optimization. The pre-conference workshop on November 4 kicks off with a talk organized with DataHow entitled “From Process Data to Process Insights and Knowledge”. This talk will provide attendees with practical training in digital tools for process analysis. Topics include advanced process modeling, machine learning for culture monitoring, and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted decision-making to improve yield, reduce variability, and accelerate process transfer.

The inclusion of digital methods reflects the increasing reliance on predictive analytics and model-based control in bioprocess engineering. For stem cell applications, these approaches are essential to ensuring that therapies can be manufactured at scale while meeting stringent regulatory expectations for consistency and quality (2,3).

What do these trends mean for regenerative medicine and bioprocess development?

Beyond technical presentations, the event will feature an exhibition showcasing laboratory and manufacturing technologies relevant to cell therapy development, from bioreactors and consumables to monitoring systems. Poster sessions and networking opportunities are intended to link academic research directly with industrial applications, fostering the exchange of both experimental data and manufacturing experience.

The issues to be discussed in Copenhagen have direct implications for regenerative medicine and bio/pharmaceutical technologies. Industrial-scale cultivation of stem cells represents one of the major bottlenecks in the field, where translating biological potential into a therapy often depends on the efficiency and reproducibility of upstream and downstream processes.

By focusing on intensification, digitalization, and automation, the Stem Cell Community Day 2025 event aims to address precisely these challenges. For developers, process engineers, and manufacturing scientists, the meeting provides an opportunity to align on technical solutions that could accelerate the broader adoption of cell-based therapies.

Registration for both the pre-conference workshop and the main conference is now open and free of charge, with options for in-person and virtual participation, at the following link: https://eppendorf.group/stem-cell-community-day-2025.

References

1. Eppendorf. Eppendorf Announces Stem Cell Community Day 2025: Uniting Innovators In Stem Cell Bioprocessing. Press Release. Sept. 4, 2025.
2. Riezzo, L.; Kay, H.; Feng, Y.; Jing, K.; Zhang, D. Accelerating Bioprocess Digital Twin Development by Integrating Hybrid Modeling with Transfer Learning. Chem. Eng. J. 2025, 511, 162018. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.162018
3. Placzek, M. R.; Chung, I-M.; Macedo, H. M.; et al. Stem Cell Bioprocessing: Fundamentals and Principles. J. R. Soc. Interface. 2009, 6, 209–232. DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2008.0442