From 10–14 August 2026, Excel4Pro held its 1st Summer School on “Bioprocessing Approaches for Plant-Based Protein Systems”, bringing together 29 participants from 8 countries including Türkiye, India, Ireland, Hungary, Germany, Tunisia, Slovakia, and Denmark, representing 24 research institutions, universities, and agricultural and food research organisations. The diverse group included 12 PhD students and 17 early-stage researchers, fostering an international environment for knowledge exchange and networking. The five-day intensive training programme combined expert lectures, interactive discussions, and hands-on laboratory training, providing participants with practical insights into the development, optimisation, and scale-up of plant-based protein bioprocesses.
From Theory to Practical Application
Throughout the five-day programme, participants explored key topics, including:
- The fermentation of plant protein ingredients, focusing on how fermentation can improve their functional and nutritional properties, as well as the role of microorganisms in developing value-added protein systems.
- Microorganism selection for functional fermentation, focusing on strategies for selecting microorganisms for targeted fermentation processes and how microbial characteristics influence the properties and performance of fermented plant protein systems.
- From laboratory research to industrial production, with a key highlight being the two-part “Scale Up with Sartorius – From Research and Lab to Pilot and Manufacturing” session delivered by the Sartorius Bioprocessing Team, providing an industry perspective on translating laboratory research into pilot-and manufacturing-scale processes.
- Experimental design and process optimisation, introducing participants to Design of Experiments (DoE) and statistical optimisation approaches for the systematic development and optimisation of plant-based protein bioprocesses.
- Modern bioprocess monitoring, highlighting the role of Process Analytical Technology (PAT), real-time process monitoring, and data-driven approaches in improving process understanding, control, and optimisation.
- Systems biology and industrial biotechnology, exploring how systems biology approaches can support industrial biotechnology development, from microorganism isolation and characterisation to process development and pilot-scale production.
Hands-on Training and Knowledge Exchange
The theoretical programme was complemented by hands-on laboratory training, providing participants with first-hand experience in plant protein processing, fermentation, bioreactor operation, and process monitoring. The Summer School also fostered knowledge exchange and networking, bringing together participants, researchers, and industry experts from Türkiye and Europe and creating opportunities for scientific exchange, interdisciplinary dialogue, and potential future collaborations in plant proteins, fermentation, and bioprocessing.
Strengthening the Plant-Based Protein Community
The strong participation and international representation highlighted the growing interest in plant-based proteins and sustainable bioprocessing. By connecting researchers at different career stages with academic and industry experts, the Summer School fostered knowledge exchange, skills development, and opportunities for future collaboration. Excel4Pro looks forward to building on this successful first edition and continuing to support the plant-based protein and bioprocessing community.
