Integrated waste removal system for cell culture bioreactor

A method comprising:

• directing flow of a fluid from a bioreactor to an external path of a re-circulation loop, the fluid comprising a medium;
• separating cells from the medium to provide separated cells and returning the separated cells to the bioreactor thereby leaving spent medium;
• directing the spent medium through a downstream flow path that is separate from a cell return flow path;
• depleting the spent medium of biological waste products by passing the spent medium through a series of ion-exchange resins including an anion-exchange resin and a cation-exchange resin;
• accumulating the depleted spent medium in a medium collection reservoir:
• monitoring one or more properties of the depleted spent medium in the medium collection reservoir using one or more sensors;
• replenishing the depleted spent medium in the medium collection reservoir with beneficial growth factors based on measurements obtained from the one or more sensors monitoring the one or more properties of the depleted spent medium in the medium collection reservoir to thereby provide replenished medium;
• directing the replenished medium back to the bioreactor to thereby complete the re-circulation loop such that recycling of the medium occurs.