Transforming a Manual Cell Therapy Workflow Into an Embedded Automated System (0→1)

Thank you for your interest in my experience as UX lead for the DynaCellect Magnetic Separation System.

DynaMag manual predecessor

Scientific Context

DynaMag and DynaCellect are magnetic separation instruments used to isolate, wash, and concentrate T‑cells during cell therapy manufacturing. They are part of a multi-instrument workflow.

DynaCellect automates the bolded steps below:

• Magnetized Dynabeads attach to T‑cells, enabling magnetic isolation

• A magnet attracts the T‑cells attached to the beads, separating them from other cells

• The isolated T‑cells are expanded, during expansion these beads naturally release

• A second magnetic separation collects the released beads, leaving purified T‑cells in suspension

• Purified T‑cells are washed and concentrated

• Expanded, purified T‑cells are tested and frozen for return to the patient

How I Contributed

My role was to translate a manual cell therapy workflow for T‑cell isolation into an intuitive and auditable digital experience flexible enough to support both process development and clinical manufacturing.

This work took place across a highly distributed global team spanning Singapore, Norway, India, and the East and West coasts of the United States, beginning before and continuing through the global pandemic.

Where do you even begin with a program like this? Learning and connecting, two of my favorite things!

Built strong, respectful relationships, and kept everyone connected

Relationships are important to me! With a globally distributed, multi‑disciplinary team, making sure everyone felt seen, heard, and respected was a top priority. That foundation of trust made it possible for us to communicate openly, align quickly, and solve problems together across our respective locations. When the pandemic began, proactive communication became even more essential for maintaining momentum and supporting one another through uncertainty.

There were challenging moments, as there always are, but thoughtful communication and respectful conversation helped us move through them with clarity.

Immersed myself in the science and workflows

With curiosity and genuine interest, I immersed myself in the science, the upstream and downstream processes, and the constraints until I could design with accuracy, empathy, and scientific literacy. I spent time in the lab watching scientists run the manual instrument, asked endless questions, facilitated group working sessions, and contributed to research activities.

There were definitely moments when my brain felt very full and the concepts felt like learning a new language, but care and persistence kept reading, observing, and asking thoughtful questions until it became clear!

This is a document I created and referred to as an activity matrix. I needed a way to capture and walk through every aspect, physical and digital, for every step in the workflow, including up and downstream processes. I used this as an early guide as I facilitated knowledge transfer from our scientists.

Interpreted the manual workflow into a guided digital experience

Every scientific variable, user need, instrument state, and consumable interaction was considered to define the digital approach, workflow stages, content, and steps.

Because this was an embedded UI, the design needed to stay aligned with what the instrument and consumables were doing at each step, support gloved hands, and guide actions that needed careful attention. Near launch, I also consulted on the desktop protocol builder to ensure continuity with the embedded UI.

For this program I owned the UX, writing, and portions of the visual design, partnering closely with a visual designer who was implementing this new brand language for the first time.*

Above: A snippet of our working sessions in Miro

Below: Illustrates an early wireframe idea for how to make the primary interaction screen comprehensive enough to support all the steps a user could possibly add to a protocol.

Designed for a regulated manufacturing environment

To support use in a regulated manufacturing environment, I partnered closely with engineering and regulatory teams to enable OPC UA communication and ensure the system could support 21 CFR Part 11 compliance requirements.

Facilitated cross‑disciplinary planning

The pandemic appeared about a third of the way into this program! Just about the time our global planning intensive was supposed to take place in Singapore. I had recently begun using Miro and realized I could create a virtual space that simulated the usual activities we do in person. I transformed traditional on‑site planning into a shared Miro environment where teams could map tasks, dependencies, and timing together and trained product managers and team members how to use it effectively.

Intensive planning boards for each team showing tasks, timing, owners, inputs, outputs, dependencies etc.