Dr.-Ing. Thomas Wucherpfennig

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG
Bioprocess Development Biologicals

Binger Strasse 173

55216 Ingelheim am Rhein

Phone +49 7351 54-144806

Mail Dr. Thomas Wucherpfennig


Thomas pursued the study of Biotechnology at the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany, and Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Canada. He earned his PhD in Bioprocess Engineering from the Technical University of Braunschweig. Prior to joining Boehringer Ingelheim as a postdoctoral fellow in 2014, Thomas acquired valuable experience in the industrial biotech sector at Roche and Clariant. Since 2015, he has held various roles in cell culture process development at Boehringer Ingelheim and currently serves as a Senior Principal Scientist, spearheading late-stage process development. In addition, Thomas is a lecturer at FH Oberösterreich in Wels and TUHH – Hamburg University of Technology, His research focus is on bioprocess scale-up, bioreactor characterization, Process Analytical Technology (PAT), and cell culture process modeling.

Research Interests

  • Scale-up of bioprocesses
  • Bioreactor characterization
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
  • Process Analytical Technology (PAT)
  • Cell culture process modelling

Publications

2023

  • M. Kuschel, J. Wutz, M. Salli, D. Monteil, T. Wucherpfennig (2023). CFD supported scale up of perfusion bioreactors in biopharma. Frontiers in Chemical Engineering. 5. (3), [Abstract] [doi]

2021

  • C. Gillespie, D.P. Wasalathanthri, D.B. Ritz, G. Zhou, K.A. Davis,T. Wucherpfennig, N. Hazelwood (2021). Systematic Assessment of Process Analytical Technologies for Biologics. Biotechnol Bioeng.. 119. (2), 423-434 [Abstract] [doi]

  • J. Fitschen, S. Hofmann, J. Wutz, A.v. Kameke, M. Hoffmann, T. Wucherpfennig, M. Schlüter (2021). Novel Evaluation Method to Determine the Local Mixing Time Distribution in Stirred Tank Reactors. Chemical Engineering Science: X. 10. (100098), [Abstract] [doi]

  • J. Smiatek, C. Clemens, L. Montano Herrera, S. Arnold, B. Knapp, B. Presser, A. Jung, T. Wucherpfennig, E. Bluhmki (2021). Generic and specific recurrent neural network models: Applications for large and small scale biopharmaceutical upstream processes. Biotechnology Reports. 31. (e00640), [Abstract] [doi]

  • Kuschel, M.; Fitschen, J.; Hoffmann, M.; von Kameke, A.; Schlüter, M.; Wucherpfennig, T. (2021). Validation of Novel Lattice Boltzmann Large Eddy Simulations (LB LES) for Equipment Characterization in Biopharma. Processes. 9. (6), [Abstract] [doi]

  • M. Brunner, K. Kolb, A. Keitel, F. Stiefel, T. Wucherpfennig, J. Bechmann, A. Unsoeld, J. Schaub (2021). Application of metabolic modeling for targeted optimization of high seeding density processes. Biotechnol Bioeng.. 118. (5), Biotechnol Bioeng.; [Abstract] [doi]

  • O. Šrom, V. Trávníková, J. Wutz, M. Kuschel, A. Unsoeld, T. Wucherpfennig, M. Šoóš (2021). Characterization of hydrodynamic stress in ambr250® bioreactor system and its impact on mammalian cell culture. Biochem Eng J. 108240. [Abstract]

2020

  • D. Roush, D. Asthagiri, D. K. Babi, S. Benner, C. Bilodeau, G. Carta, P. Ernst, M. Fedesco, S. Fitzgibbon, M. Flamm, J. Griesbach, T. Grosskopf, E. B. Hansen, T. Hahn, S. Hunt, F. Insaidoo, A. Lenhoff, J. Lin, H. Marke, B. Marques, E. Papadakis, F. Schlegel, A. Staby, M. Stenvang, L. Sun, P. M. Tessier, R. Todd, E. v. Lieres, J. Welsh, R. Willson, G. Wang, T. Wucherpfennig, O. Zavalov (2020). Toward in silico CMC: An industrial collaborative approach to model‐based process development. Biotechnol. Bioeng.. 117. (12), 3986-4000 [Abstract] [doi]

  • Fitschen, J., Maly, M., Rosseburg, A., Wutz, J., Wucherpfennig, T., Schlüter, M. (2020). Influence of Spacing of Multiple Impellers on Power Input in an Industrial‐Scale Aerated Stirred Tank Reactor. Chemie Ingenieur Technik. 91. (12), 1794-1801 [Abstract] [doi]

  • R. Krull, D.C. Hempel, T. Wucherpfennig (2020). Dubbel Bioverfahrenstechnik: Taschenbuch für den Maschinenbau. [doi]

  • Wutz, J., Waterkotte, B., Heitmann, K., Wucherpfennig, T. (2020). Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a Tool for Industrial UF/DF Tank Optimization. Biochem Eng J. 160. (107617), [Abstract] [doi]

2018

  • A. Rosseburg, J. Fitschen, J. Wutz, T. Wucherpfennig, M. Schlüter (2018). Hydrodynamic inhomogeneities in large scale stirred tanks – Influence on mixing time. Chemical Engineering Science. 208-220 [Abstract] [doi]

  • Wutz, J., Steiner, R., Assfalg, K. and Wucherpfennig, T. (2018). Establishment of a CFD‐based kLa model in microtiter plates to support CHO cell culture scale-up during clone selection. Biotechnol Progress. 34. (5), 1120-1128 [Abstract] [doi]

2016

  • Gaid M., Wucherpfennig T., Scholl S., Beerhues L., Krull R. (2016). Challenges for the cultivation of plant cell and tissue cultures using the examples of Hypericum perforatum and Taxus chinensis.

  • Wutz, J., Lapin, A., Siebler, F., Schäfer, J.E., Wucherpfennig, T., Berger, M. and Takors, R. (2016). Predictability of kLa in stirred tank reactors under multiple operating conditions using an Euler–Lagrange approach. Eng. Life Sci.. 16. (7), 633-642 [Abstract] [doi]

2015

  • Walisko R., Moench-Tegeder J., Blotenberg J., Wucherpfennig T, Krull R. (2015). The taming of the shrew – controlling the morphology of filamentous eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms.. [doi]

2014

  • Wucherpfennig T., Schulz A., Pimentel A., Corkidi G., Sieblitz D., Pump M., Gorr G., Schütte K., Wittmann C., Krull R. (2014). Viability characterization of Taxus chinensis plant cell suspension cultures by rapid colorimetric- and image analysis-based techniques. Bioproc. Biosyst. Eng.. 37. 1799–1808 [Abstract] [doi]

2013

  • Wucherpfennig T., Lakowitz A., Krull R. (2013). Comprehension of viscous morphology - Evaluation of fractal and conventional parameters for rheological characterization of Aspergillus niger culture broth. J. Biotechnol. 163. (2), 124-132 [Abstract] [doi]

2012

  • Driouch H., Hänsch R., Wucherpfennig T., Krull R., Wittmann C. (2012). Improved enzyme production by superior bio-pellets of Aspergillus niger - Targeted morphology engineering using titanate micro particles.. Biotechnol. Bioeng.. 109. (2), 462-471 [Abstract] [doi]

  • Eslahpazir E. M., Wucherpfennig T., Krull R. (2012). Agitation Induced Mechanical Stress in Stirred Tank Bioreactors—Linking CFD Simulations to Fungal Morphology. Chem. Eng. Jpn.. 45. (9), 742-748 [Abstract] [doi]

  • Wucherpfennig T., Lakowitz A., Driouch H., Krull R., Wittmann C. (2012). Customization of Aspergillus niger Morphology Through Addition of Talc Micro Particles. J Vis Exp.. 61. (4023), [Abstract] [doi]

  • Wucherpfennig T., Schilling J.V., Sieblitz D., Pump M., Schütte K., Wittmann C., Krull R. (2012). Improved assessment of aggregate size in Taxus plant cell suspension cultures using laser diffraction. Eng. Life Sci.. 12. (6), 595-602 [Abstract] [doi]

2011

  • Wucherpfennig T., Hestler T., Krull R. (2011). Morphology engineering - Osmolality and its effect on Aspergillus niger morphology and productivity. Microb. Cell Fact.. 10. (58), [Abstract] [doi]

2008

  • Xu Y., Yasin A., Wucherpfennig T., Chou C.P. (2008). Enhancing functional expression of heterologous lipase in the periplasm of Escherichia coli. World J. Microb. Biot.. 24. (12), 2827-2835 [Abstract]

  • Wucherpfennig T. Wucherpfennig T (2013) Cellular Morphology: A novel Process Parameter for the Cultivation of Eukaryotic Cells.

  • Wucherpfennig T., Kiep K. A., Driouch H., Wittmann C., Krull R. Morphology and Rheology in Filamentous Cultivations.