Advances in Microbial Bioprocesses and Biomanufacturing for Bio-based Products: A Transition from Lab to Industry

Microbial bioprocessing is an expanding field that integrates microbiology, engineering, and systems biology to create sustainable alternatives to fossil-based production. Recent progress in systems and synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and multi-omics technologies has led to the development of highly optimized microbial cell factories capable of producing biofertilizers, biofuels, bioplastics, fermented foods, and high-value chemicals. However, despite notable advancements in laboratory-based innovation, critical challenges persist in scaling up these processes, maintaining system stability, and ensuring economic feasibility. Translating academic breakthroughs into industrial applications remains an enduring barrier, largely due to limited integration of engineering design, predictive analytics, and real-world validation. Addressing these knowledge and application gaps is essential to accelerate the growth of a sustainable bio-based economy.This Research Topic aims to strengthen the translational bridge across the microbial bioprocessing spectrum, spanning technology readiness levels (TRL) 1–9. It seeks to drive integrative approaches that couple fundamental discovery with applied engineering and techno-economic analysis. By encouraging the convergence of strain development, bioprocess design, and digitalization, this Topic will facilitate scalable, cost-effective, and robust microbial manufacturing. Central questions involve how to optimize metabolic pathways, predict system behavior using data-driven approaches, enhance bioreactor performance, and design economically viable production routes. Ultimately, the objective is to foster interdisciplinary collaboration that transforms microbial bioprocessing research into deployable industrial technologies.To gather further insights across the full translational spectrum of microbial bioprocessing, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to the following themes:• Systems and synthetic biology for strain engineering and optimization• Multi-omics integration and data-driven predictive modeling (AI/ML)• Advanced bioreactor design, automation, and real-time monitoring• Scale-up, process stability, and operational consistency• Techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA)• Bridging laboratory innovation with pilot-scale and commercial implementationWe invite Original Research Articles, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, and Perspectives that contribute novel experimental, computational, or translational insights for advancing microbial bioprocessing in sustainable bioeconomy applications. Topic editors: Dr. Megha Kaviraj, Upendra Kumar, Dr. Jasim Iqbal, Sonali Mohapatra, Prof. Hrudayanath Thatoi Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82387/advances-in-microbial-bioprocesses-and-biomanufacturing-for-bio-based-products-a-transition-from-lab-to-industry