Exploring the ambitious goals of Project CLASSY: Creating a Sustainable Chemical Factory by mimicking living cells

Living cells are highly efficient, producing complex substances with minimal waste. What if this biological precision could be applied to the chemical industry? This question is at the core of the CLASSY project. Focused on the early-stage development of new technologies, CLASSY aims to create a microfluidic platform that mimics the natural efficiency of living cells. By doing so, it offers an experimental approach to potentially reducing the environmental footprint of chemical processes.

In collaboration with the CLASSY consortium, Micronit has contributed to the development of a microfluidic platform that organizes chemical reactions in a compartmentalized system, inspired by the way living cells operate. In this showcase, we will discuss the goals of the CLASSY project, the innovative technology developed through this collaboration, and the key insights gained so far.

Background: The Need for Sustainable Chemical Synthesis 

Chemical synthesis, the process of constructing complex compounds from simpler ones, is at the heart of many production industries, including pharmaceuticals. However, traditional chemical synthesis methods are often inefficient, requiring multiple reaction steps and generating substantial amounts of waste. In the pharmaceutical industry alone, it is common to see 25–100 kg of waste produced for every kilogram of product . This inefficiency is unsustainable, both economically and environmentally.

Over the past four years, the multidisciplinary team within the CLASSY project has addressed the need for modern technologies that have the potential to contribute to the promotion of sustainability and reduced waste production from modern industrial synthetic processes – and found the answer by looking at living cells.

Living cells are masters of efficiency. They can produce a wide variety of complex molecules in a single “cell reactor,” minimizing waste and bypassing the need for intermediate steps . By mimicking these natural processes, Project CLASSY aimed to create a new generation of chemical reactors—programmable molecular assembly lines that can significantly reduce waste and promote sustainability.

The Aim of CLASSY: Nature-Inspired Innovation 

CLASSY is a FET Open Research and Innovation Action (RIA) that brought together leading scientists with expertise in systems chemistry, biocatalysis, and microfluidics. The aim of Project CLASSY was to develop a microfluidic platform that mimics the natural processes of living cells. By compartmentalizing multiple catalytic peptides and enzymes within microreactors, the CLASSY project aimed to emulate the self-regulating and highly efficient synthesis processes found in nature.

This vision has been made possible through the collaborative efforts of a diverse consortium of leading institutions. We have had the privilege of working alongside our partners, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), ETH Zürich (ETH), Radboud University Nijmegen (RU), Universität Graz (UG), and accelopment Schweiz AG. Each partner brought their own unique expertise, which has been critical in driving the success of this project.

Micronit’s Role: Engineering the Microreactors 

Our role in this project was to leverage our expertise in developing microfluidic components to create several prototypes of microreactors to help CLASSY’s research partners with their testing. One of the objectives of this study was to create a microfluidic platform for immobilizing multiple enzymes or peptide catalysts in microfluidic compartments, which is a key step in the effort to replicate nature’s efficiency in chemical synthesis. The idea, design, and initial testing of these microreactors were all carried out in-house at Micronit, ensuring that the final products met the required standards.

As the final prototypes, we developed two variants of microreactors. The first being a perfusable microreactor equipped with 16 individual addressable microreactors with a diameter of 5 mm, for use with solid-supported functionalized particles, including catalytically active particles. Additional features consisted of:

• Internal volume: 50–100 µL (between membranes)
• Reactor can be filled with catalyst support beads (spherical diameter 80 µm)
• Typical perfusion rate: 5–15 µL/min
• The device is transparent to visible light, to allow photocatalytic reactions
• Operating temperature range: 15–50 °C

Another variant consisted of 2 strings of 5 microreactors connected in series, with a diameter of 8.5 mm and a volume between membranes of 300 µL.

Protoype 1: Perfusable microreactor with 16 individual microreactors

These microreactors were used by Radboud University for their ability to load microfluidic hydrogel beads with enzymes that catalyze single-step reactions of future target cascades. The prototypes stand out through their configurability, which reduces dead volume, but also through the incorporation of porous membranes and the way in which the layers are connected. These features make the microreactors highly efficient and offer flexibility in experimental setups.

Toward a Sustainable Future 

Project CLASSY has achieved a significant breakthrough in sustainable chemical production. By mimicking the efficiency of living cells, the project has developed innovative microfluidic reactors that significantly reduce waste and make chemical synthesis more sustainable. The technology opens new possibilities for producing complex products in a single reactor process, eliminating intermediate steps and improving overall energy efficiency. Although further research is needed to fully realize the potential of this technology, the results of CLASSY have already demonstrated that large-scale sustainable chemical production is within reach. For more information on the ongoing developments and applications of this groundbreaking technology, please visit the CLASSY project website or get in touch with one of our experts. 

[1] CLASSY project Results