Bioindustrial manufacturing readiness levels (BioMRLs) as a shared framework for measuring and communicating the maturity of bioproduct manufacturing processes

Michael J Smanski; Aristos Aristidou; Ryan Carruth; John Erickson; Mark Gordon; Sandeep B Kedia; Kelvin H Lee; Darcy Prather; John E Schiel; Heather Schultheisz; Thomas P Treynor; Steven L Evans; Douglas C Friedman; Melanie Tomczak

doi:10.1093/jimb/kuac022

Bioindustrial manufacturing readiness levels (BioMRLs) as a shared framework for measuring and communicating the maturity of bioproduct manufacturing processes

J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 2022 Oct 13;49(5):kuac022. doi: 10.1093/jimb/kuac022.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ BioMADE, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
² Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
³ Cargill, Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN 55391, USA.
⁴ Superbrewed Foods, Incorporated, New Castle, DE 19720, USA.
⁵ National Institute of Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals, Newark, DE 19713, USA.
⁶ Mfg Strategy, Inc., Tampa, FL 33613, USA.
⁷ Kalion, Incorporated, Milton, MA 02186, USA.
⁸ National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA.
⁹ Genomatica, Inc., San Diego, CA 92121,USA.
¹⁰ R2DIO Inc., Berkeley, CA 94702-1102, USA.

Abstract

Readiness level (RL) frameworks such as technology readiness levels and manufacturing readiness levels describe the status of a technology/manufacturing process on its journey from initial conception to commercial deployment. More importantly, they provide a roadmap to guide technology development and scale-up from a ''totality of system'' approach. Commercialization risks associated with too narrowly focused R&D efforts are mitigated. RLs are defined abstractly so that they can apply to diverse industries and technology sectors. However, differences between technology sectors make necessary the definition of sector specific RL frameworks. Here, we describe bioindustrial manufacturing readiness levels (BioMRLs), a classification system specific to bioindustrial manufacturing. BioMRLs will give program managers, investors, scientists, and engineers a shared vocabulary for prioritizing goals and assessing risks in the development and commercialization of a bioindustrial manufacturing process.

Keywords: BioMRL; Bioeconomy; Bioindustrial manufacturing; Bioproduct.

MeSH terms

Industry*
Technology*

Grants and funding

FA8650-21-2-5028/United States Air Force