Working Group on Industrial Cell Technology convenes in Lübeck

On 8 September the Working Group on Industrial Cell Technology met in Lübeck prior to the start of the Industrial Cell Technology Symposium, organised by the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Marine Biotechnology (EMB). The main aim was to prepare for the ISO Technical Committee’s meeting on biobanks and bioresources, which will take place in Dublin in October. The ISO/TC Working Group 2 “Biobanks and bioresources” is working on several proposals in the field of biobanks. Its draft document “Biotechnology – Biobanking – General requirements for Biobanks” adresses general requirements for biobanks, which aim to ensure consistent quality in sample collection. The Working Group is also working on a draft document on the validation and examination of processing methods used in biobanks. The group’s members plan to compile various expert proposals on the processing, storage and transport of biobank materials and then discuss these in detail at its autumn meeting in Dublin. The ISO/TC Working Group 4 “Bioprocessing” focuses its work on the development of biotech products, whereby the emphasis is on the processes and not the end products. It aims to develop standards for ensuring consistent, controlled and tracked processes to give confidence to suppliers and users of products. In this vein, the Working Group is working on draft documents on “Raw materials control for bioprocessing – Part 1: General definitions and requirements for quality control”, “Part 2: Best practice guide for suppliers” and “Part 3: Best practice guide for developers”. Office staff and member representatives will be attending the meeting in Dublin, where they will take part in the further fleshing out of the documents.