Upstream optimization ahead of large batch manufacturing.
We run some amount of high throughput upstream optimization before every large batch - the degree of screening depends on client goals.
We generally begin by screening for yield only. We then focus in on a parameter space that seems high yielding, and focus on optimizing for quality.
In all cases, our screens read out both yield (via dPCR), and quality (via mass photometry) for each process condition.
A representative quality optimization is shown here. The difference in yield are relatively modest (~5x), which is acceptable because we were already starting from a yield-optimized baseline.
The screen successfully revealed two upstream quality grades, allowing us to trade off between upstream quality and yield in an informed way that met the project goals.
