Abstract
More than 8,000 biopharmaceuticals are in the global research and development pipeline to treat cancer, diabetes, and many other diseases. These drugs are produced using biomanufacturing technologies. With increasing demand and competition, the biomanufacturing industry is currently experiencing a growing need for cost-effective and robust production to deliver affordable medicines.

In the first part of the seminar, we will focus on operational decisions to reduce biomanufacturing costs and lead times. We analyze a new production technology called bleed-feed. Bleed-feed technology allows biomanufacturers to skip intermediate bioreactor setups. However, the timing of bleed-feed is critical to its success. In addition, the process is highly regulated and its implementation involves complex trade-offs. We develop a finite-horizon, discrete-time Markov decision process model, and analyze the structural properties of optimal policies. Real-world implementation at Merck resulted in an 85% improvement in batch yield, and the project was also recognized as a finalist for the 2022 INFORMS Franz Edelman Prize.

In the second part of the seminar, we will reflect on the challenges, opportunities, and future research directions of applying OR/AI methodologies in the biomanufacturing industry. We will highlight emerging technologies, such as continuous biomanufacturing, and present a portfolio of open research questions on process modeling, control, and regulatory aspects. These future research directions were developed in close collaboration with industry partners from both the human and animal health sectors.

Bio
Tugce Martagan is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University in Boston. She earned her Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2015. From 2015 to 2024, she worked in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. Dr. Martagan specializes in stochastic modeling and optimization with applications in pharmaceutical supply chains. She has received several international awards for her research, including the Franz Edelman Finalist award for her work with Merck, first prize in the POMS Applied Research Challenge, first prize in the Decision Sciences Best Paper Award, and first prize in the INFORMS TIMES Dissertation Award. Dr. Martagan has also received several teaching awards, a Marie Curie Research Fellowship from the European Commission, and the VENI (early career) and VIDI (mid-career) grants from the Dutch Science Foundation. She serves as an Associate Editor for Operations Research and Manufacturing & Service Operations Management.