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EngD Student
Bio
Cyrus Siganporia joined UCL in 2005 and started his undergraduate studies in Biochemical Engineering. Having obtained his degree, he began an MSc in Computer Science. This enabled him to more effectively progress into computational areas within engineering if later desired. For his MSc project, he wrote an augmented reality program which enabled users to see through solid objects via the use of multiple cameras. He began his EngD in Biochemical engineering in 2010, and has given multiple talks in conferences and to biopharmaceutical companies regarding his research, which has also resulted in publications. Having built up skills in mathematical programming and genetic algorithms, he will be looking to move into a career in software engineering, optimisation-based or otherwise.
Research interests
- Production planning across multi-site, multi-product biopharmaceutical plants
Multi-product manufacturing facilities running on a campaign basis are increasingly becoming the norm for biopharmaceuticals, owing to high risks of clinical failure and regulatory pressures. Developing a comprehensive manufacturing strategy to meet anticipated demands for both clinical trial and market material requires careful capacity planning. Consequently, more effective methods are required to manage and align production across several multi-product facilities, including third party organisations, so as to ensure the availability of sufficient capacity. However, determining capacity needs for biopharmaceutical production is often a difficult process requiring predictions of product doses, market forecasts, production rates (titres, yields) and clinical/technical success rates. A methodology that helps identify the optimal multi-site allocation and schedules under such uncertainty would greatly help companies assess how best to use existing capacity, when to opt for CMOs, and to improve the cost-effectiveness of their network of multi-product facilities globally.
This research project investigates the use of hybrid models combining multi-objective optimisation, mathematical programming, heuristic search methods (e.g., GAs) and process economics models to determine the optimum allocation and manufacturing schedule of multiple products across a network of global biopharmaceutical facilities given anticipated production needs of both clinical trial and market material as well as uncertainties (technical, clinical , commercial)
Education
• BEng in Biochemical Engineering, UCL, 2009
• MSc in Computer Science, UCL, 2010
• MRes in Biochemical Engineering, UCL 2011
Publications
• Siganporia et al. (2014). Capacity planning for batch and perfusion bioprocesses across multiple biopharmaceutical facilities. Biotechnology Progress, 30, 594-606
• Siganporia et al. (2012). Production planning of batch and semi-continuous bioprocesses across multiple biopharmaceutical facilities. 22nd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering, 30, 377-381
