Pfizer QC Microbiology team set out to transform one of the most labor-intensive steps in environmental monitoring, manual plate reading, by evaluating whether advanced automation could reliably handle more than 88,000 plates a year. This presentation reveals the results of a large-scale pilot study using the APAS Independence, exploring how AI-driven colony detection performed against real-world EM samples, challenging contrived plates, and the daily complexities found in pharmaceutical cleanrooms. With insights into accuracy, false positives, workflow impact, and usability, the study offers a rare, practical look at what it truly takes to automate EM plate reading in a GMP environment and what benefits, limitations, and next steps were uncovered along the way.

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Presentation: Pfizer

Conference: PDA Aseptic Manufacturing Excellence Conference

Date: 14 October 2025

Presenter: Mark Gracie, LTS Manager, Pfizer