Webinar - From Manual to Automated QC: Key Considerations, Challenges and Solutions

The increasing pressure on biopharmaceutical quality control (QC) labs to deliver faster, more reliable results is driving demand in rapid and automated technologies. However, transitioning comes with its own set of challenges—from resource limitations and data management complexities to regulatory considerations and integration into existing workflows.

When: Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Time: 4:00 PM Central European Summer Time

Running time: 1 hour

How to join? Go to Merck Webinar

In this webinar, our experts will outline what to consider when evaluating and implementing automated solutions. Through case studies we will demonstrate how present-day QC challenges—such as staffing constraints and increasing production volumes—can be effectively overcome. The webinar will also highlight how to select the right solution and partner, what level of support is required for successful implementation, and why now is the right time to invest in automation.

In this webinar, you will learn about:

• Implementing rapid sterility/bioburden/environmental monitoring methods
• Return on investment (ROI) of rapid methods
• Overcoming regulatory & technology challenges
• The benefits and challenges in day-to-day use

Speakers:

Anne Weeks

Automation & Robotics Specialist, MilliporeSigma (The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the U.S. and Canada)

Johannes Oberdörfer

Senior Manager Field Applications, Rapid Micro Biosystems

Tim Cser

Senior Technology Specialist, Commercial Applications, MilliporeSigma (The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the U.S. and Canada)

Sign up here.

Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)

Technological innovations in microbiology

The latest issue of Nature Microbiology contains a series ofinteresting articles on the progressive development of microbiological science. 

Among the highlights are:

High-throughoput metagenomics

A comprehensive comparative analysis by Treichel et al. showcases this strength and ability of high-throughput metagenomics in capturing strain-level bacterial diversity. Simultaneously, the authors warn about technical shortcomings related to sequencing depth and provide guidelines to circumnavigate them, highlighting the importance of careful oversight.  

Transcriptomic approaches 

A Review by Clatworthy et al. summarizes recent developments in bacterial single-cell transcriptomic approaches that provide high-resolution insights into bacterial heterogeneity and its physiological influence.

RNA sequencing 

Ntekas et al. combined single-cell RNA sequencing and microscopy to spatially resolve host–microorganism interactions associated with tumours along the mouse gut.  

Bacterial communities 

Moraïs et al. exploit high-throughput proteomics to uncover granular details on bacterial behaviour in simple and complex communities. It allowed them to quantitatively determine that bacteria respond to each other via modulation of their protein content to establish metabolic complementarity.

 

Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)