Sydney biotech Smart MCs and UNSW land $900,000 for next-gen cell manufacturing tech 

Sydney biotech startup Smart MCs has secured $900,000 in funding through the Australian  Research Council’s (ARC) Linkage Program to scale its next-generation microcarrier technology for large-scale cell-based manufacturing. 

The project is a partnership between Smart MCs and the University of New South Wales, led by Associate Professor Christopher Marquis and Professor Kristopher Kilian, working alongside the Smart MCs team. 

The collaboration will focus on developing advanced, xeno-free microcarriers designed to support scalable production of vaccines, viral vectors, cell therapies, and other biologics. 

Microcarriers are small, 3D structures that provide surfaces for adherent cells to grow inside  bioreactors enabling higher-density cell cultures, a key requirement for large-scale  bio-manufacturing. The technology offers a scalable solution to replace traditional 2D methods  like flasks or roller bottles, which face significant limitations in commercial production  environments. 

Smart MCs, cofounded by Lin Ding and Payar Radfar, kicked off in mid-2022 as roof-of-concept technology to produce edible microcarriers from food ingredients.The team then joined the six-month Big Idea Ventures accelerator to develop their minimum viable product and closed a pre-Seed round and scored a $600,000 government grant in 2023.

Smart MCs has developed a customisable microcarrier platform that can be tailored for different processes, with adjustable surface coatings, charge, and size to suit specific cell types.

The ARC funding will help expand this technology to meet the growing demand for scalable, efficient bio-manufacturing solutions. 

CEO Dr Payar Radfar said scalable microcarriers are essential to improving cell-based manufacturing, which underpins industries such as vaccine production and stem cell therapies. 

“Our goal is to extend the capabilities of our platform to meet the growing demand for scalable,  high-quality cell manufacturing,” he said. 

The ARC Linkage Program supports partnerships between research organisations and industry to deliver practical solutions to national challenges and support Australia’s growing biotech sector.

Last year the startup announced a partnership with Macquarie University as part of a pilot research initiative.