01 July 2025, Dublin: A major new targeted PhD research project has officially launched this week at Dublin City University (DCU), bringing together advanced manufacturing expertise from I-Form, the Research Ireland funded Research Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, and industrial innovation from Strikebox Engineering.
The project, entitled “Development of Freeze-Thaw Technology”, is funded by Research Ireland through I-Form will be carried out by PhD candidate Mr. Aris Melloni under the supervision of Associate Professor Brian Freeland (School of Biotechnology, DCU) and Associate Professor Michal Dabros (School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg, HES-SO). As part of the project kick-off, John O’Reilly, Managing Director at Strikebox Engineering, visited the laboratories at DCU’s School of Biotechnology and the Life Sciences Institute to meet the research team and align on the project’s ambitious goals.
This four-year research initiative will focus on advancing freeze-thaw processes used in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The project aims to develop a scalable, digitally monitored freeze-thaw system, with integrated Process Analytical Technology (PAT) for real-time process control — bridging academic insight and industrial application.
John O’Reilly commented: “This collaboration allows us to merge industrial know-how with deep academic research to solve real-world challenges in biologics processing. We are excited to see where this innovation journey leads.”
Dr. Brian Freeland added: “This project represents a great example University-industrial engagement and applied research in bioprocessing, addressing advanced manufacturing needs while providing high-level academic training and innovation.”
Dr. Michal Dabros also added: “This project builds on a long-standing collaboration between our Swiss and Irish institutions in bioprocess engineering. We are excited to explore freeze-thaw technology together as a new focus area, and to open a promising new chapter through collaboration with Stikebox Engineering.”
The project will culminate in the development of a functional prototype, a validated process framework, and insights that could lead to the commercialization of new freeze-thaw technologies for biologics manufacturing.
About I-Form:
I-Form is the Research Ireland Centre for Advanced Manufacturing. Its mission is to shape the future of manufacturing through high-impact research into the application of digital technologies to materials processing. I-Form works in close collaboration with industry partners to ensure that its research is relevant, applicable and impactful, delivering a step-change in competitiveness for Irish manufacturing.
To know more, visit https://www.i-form.ie/
