DrMaria Papathanasiou

My lab focuses on the adaptation of Industry 4.0 principles in (bio-) pharmaceutical processes. We work on the development of digital twins and control methodologies for process understanding, optimisation and automation.

I welcome applications from excellent and enthusiastic students from all over the world! Feel free to get in touch to learn about possible vacancies.

*Not a scientist? Read the summary below*

Welcome to our lab! We utilise expert knowledge and real-world data to develop digital twins used for process simulation, optimisation and control.

What is a digital twin? We define digital twins as computer modelling platforms that are based on mathematical equations able to mimic the interactions and phenomena taking place in a physical/biological system or equipment.

Why are digital twins useful? Digital twins are useful as they enable us to test the system of interest by conducting numerous experiments on the computer. This helps us do things faster and more in a cost-efficient manner. We also use digital twins to identify the conditions (optimal conditions) under which the system is able to demonstrate its best performance (optimal profile). We then use these profiles as targets for the design of smart controllers to ensure that the optimal conditions are always maintained.

How do we interact with experimental researchers and industrial partners? Our lab works very closely with experimental researchers and industrial partners who provide us with expert knowledge and data. Real world data are fundamental for the validation of the digital twins! In return, we develop tools that enable experimental researchers to get continuous snapshots of the process state even when analytical measurements are not available. Our tools can also guide the design of targeted experiments, thus minimising time, cost and labour.

Research Themes
- Bioprocess modelling
- Process control
- Supply chain optimisation
- Computer modelling for disease understanding

Please visit our website for more information: papathanlab.com

REPORTS & MEDIA

Our lab has been working on the development of tools and strategies to ramp up manufacturing and supply chain distribution capacity of COVID-19 vaccines. You can read an overview here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/197321/is-world-ready-produce-billion-doses/

You can also access the DELVE report on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development and implementation here: http://rs-delve.github.io/reports/2020/10/01/covid19-vaccination-report.html

Dr. Papathanasiou is also featuring at Episode 9 of the Podcast series from the Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering, "Never Lick the Spoon", discussing on-going COVID-19 research as well as mental health. You can listen to the episode here: https://neverlickthespoon.podbean.com/e/episode-9-getting-rid-of-covid-part-ii/