A scoping review of supervised learning modelling and data-driven optimisation in monoclonal antibody process development

The Summary

In this review, my colleagues and I reviewed more than 100 research papers on machine learning usage in bioprocessing, and filtered out 30 research with primary focus on monoclonal antibody process development. We then summarised each paper and identified 4 key trends in this focused application of machine learning.

The Outcome

LINK: The paper is published in Digital Chemical Engineering (Elsevier) under Gold Open Access scheme.

The Highlights

LINK: Only two weeks after the pre-proof version was published, we were mentioned in GEN Eng News - one of the most prominent news sources for the Biotechnology industry.

The Process

The concept for the research started in February 2022, when I identified a gap in the current literature reviews: There was no review on Machine Learning focusing specifically on process development applications. Following the topic choice, the second challenging decision was on the format of the review. At the time, I neither had a good idea of which techniques were being used in this field, as well as to what extent. So literature review and systematic review are not quite feasible, and thus I opted for a newer type of review which I once came across while working on a healthcare project: Scoping Review. It took a while to convince my colleagues in Computer Science of this new review framework, but in the end, it allowed us to rapidly chart and summarise the research papers without too focusing on the pros and cons of each technique. The descriptive nature of scoping review is perfect for the situation where the researchers are unaware of the full extent of the review topic.

To facilitate the review, data collection and even manuscript preparation were done mostly in Python, and the use of Microsoft Power Apps to deploy a collaboration survey app within 2 working days! I will make the code available in the near future for the next generation of researchers looking to write a review paper.

Overall, the writing process of a review paper (and my first author publication) was a thrilling one, yet blessed by an abundance of tools and support available to me and my colleagues. And just like what my supervisor said,

Your PhD research topic will start to form as you explore the nooks and crannies of your literature landscape.