Prof. Richard D Braatz

Edwin R Gilliland Professor of Chemical Engineering
Associate Faculty Director, Center for Biomedical Innovation (CBI)

Primary DLC

Department of Chemical Engineering

MIT Room: E19-551

Assistant

Angelique Scarpa
ascarpa@mit.edu

Areas of Interest and Expertise

Process Systems and Control
Pharmaceutical Crystallization
Multiscale Systems Engineering
Applied Mathematics
Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing
Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Systems Controls

Research Summary

Research is in applied mathematics and control theory and its application to manufacturing systems where the control of events at the molecular scale is key to product quality. Some specific applications include:

(*) Optimal design of pharmaceutical crystallizers that utilize process intensification to manufacture crystals of precisely controlled size and molecular structure;

(*) Multiscale modeling and design of nano- and microstructured polymeric materials that respond to internal or external stimuli to spatially control the release of macromolecules;

(*) Control of molecular systems and nanodevices, from molecular clustering on surfaces to carbon nanotube-based nanobiosensors.


(summary updated 11/2011)

Recent Work

  • Video

    07.16.24-TokyoLifeScienceSymposium_ADigitalTwinforContinuousmRNAManufacturingy_RichardBraatz

    July 16, 2024Conference Video Duration: 41:44
    This presentation describes a digital twin that is being developed for end-to-end continuous manufacturing of mRNA biotherapeutics. Mechanistic models are being constructed for all unit operations. These dynamic models are integrated with models for constraints, uncertainties, and disturbances to form a digital twin for automated, integrated continuous manufacturing. The digital twin is suitable for (1) evaluation and validation of mechanistic hypotheses to gain mechanistic understanding, (2) comparison of multiple process flowsheet options, (3) optimization of individual unit operations and their control systems, (4) the design of end-to-end operations, and (5) the real-time operation alongside plant operations. Experimentally validated results are presented for multiple unit operations. 

    07.16.24-TokyoLifeScienceSymposium_ConnectingwiththeMITInnovationEcosystemPanel Discussion

    July 16, 2024Conference Video Duration: 58:0
    Panel Discussion: Connecting with the MIT Innovation Ecosystem

    11.15-16.23-RD-Braatz

    November 16, 2023Conference Video Duration: 36:48
    Recent Advances in the Manufacturing of mRNA Biotherapeutics 

    4.12.22-Health-Science-Braatz-Nguyen

    April 12, 2022Conference Video Duration: 26:23
    Richard Braatz
    Gilliland Professor, Chemical Engineering
    Faculty Research Officer
    Tam Nguyen
    Ph.D. student in chemical engineering at MIT

    3.4.21-Future-Manufacturing-Roundtable

    March 4, 2021Conference Video Duration: 75:8
    Brian Anthony
    Associate Director, MIT.nano
    Faculty Lead, Industry Immersion Program in Mechanical Engineering
    David E. Hardt
    Ralph and Eloise Cross Professor, Mechanical Engineering
    Professor, Engineering Systems
    Richard Braatz
    Gilliland Professor, Chemical Engineering
    Faculty Research Officer
    Katrin Ellen Daehn
    Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
    Craig R Karasack
    Technical Director of Ergonomics and Manufacturing Technology
    Risk Control Services, Liberty Mutual Insurance
    Kurt Bettenhausen
    Member of the Board for New Technologies and Development, HARTING Technology Group

    2021-Future-Manufacturing-Richard-Braatz

    March 2, 2021Conference Video Duration: 10:25
    Richard Braatz
    Gilliland Professor, Chemical Engineering
    Faculty Research Officer

    AI in LIfe Science 2018 - Richard Braatz

    December 4, 2018Conference Video Duration: 28:22

    Robust Data Analytics in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing

    Although process data analytics is a valuable tool for improving the manufacturing of biologic drugs, selection of the best method requires a substantial level of expertise. This talk describes a robust and automated approach for process data analytics tool selection that allows the user to focus on goals rather than methods. The approach first applies tools to automatically interrogate the data to ascertain its characteristics, e.g., nonlinearity, correlation, dynamics. This information is then used to select a best-in-class process data analytics tool. The approach is demonstrated for industrial data for the manufacturing of a monoclonal antibody.

    2018 MIT AI in Life Sciences and Healthcare Conference