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%0 Thesis %A Rohr, Katja %T Advancing bioprocess development for filamentous fungi %I RWTH Aachen University %V Dissertation %C Aachen %M RWTH-2025-04925 %P 1 Online-Ressource : Illustrationen %D 2025 %Z Veröffentlicht auf dem Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University %Z Dissertation, RWTH Aachen University, 2025 %X Biotechnology has advanced industrial sectors such as bio-pharmaceuticals, animal feed and nutrition by harnessing the power of microorganisms to produce essential compounds. Among these microbial producers, filamentous fungi have proven indispensable due to their remarkable capacity for enzyme production. Important examples of enzymes produced by filamentous fungi are cellulases, which are used in bioethanol production and textile processing, and phytases, which increase the bioavailability of phosphorous in animal feed. However, bioprocess development for filamentous fungi is hampered by their complex morphology and its significant impact on productivity, making strain selection and process optimization inefficient and time-consuming. Conventional small-scale cultivation approaches often fail to replicate large-scale industrial process conditions, further complicating bioprocess development for filamentous fungi. This work addresses these limitations by advancing small-scale cultivation techniques through the use of high-throughput microbioreactor systems, integrated laboratory automation and automated microscopy. Specifically, the methodology was developed for Trichoderma reesei, Aspergillus niger and Thermothelomyces thermophilus due to their industrial relevance and distinct morphological characteristics. First, microbioreactor cultivation strategies were optimized for T. reesei, closely aligning small-scale conditions with industrial environments. Subsequently, automated workflows significantly improved the efficiency and throughput of A. niger cultivation. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of images of T. thermophilus obtained by automated microscopy revealed specific morphological features associated with enhanced enzyme production. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between fungal morphology and productivity. The methods and results presented in this thesis greatly accelerate fungal bioprocess development by reducing both the time and manual effort required. Overall, this framework provides a more efficient approach to optimizing fungal bioprocesses, ultimately advancing industrial enzyme production and contributing to the broader field of industrial biotechnology. %F PUB:(DE-HGF)11 %9 Dissertation / PhD Thesis %R 10.18154/RWTH-2025-04925 %U https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/1012223