This invention refers to a new method for optimizing the composition of
cell culture media. This new method comprises two main stages. In the first stage, a functional enviromics map is built through the joint screening of
cell functions and medium factors by the execution of a specific
cell culture protocol and exometabolome assays protocol. The functional enviromics map consists of a data array of intensity values of elementary
cellular functions against medium factors. In the second stage, optimized
cell culture medium formulations are developed that either enhance or repress target elementary
cellular functions from columns of the functional enviromics map. The main
advantage of this method lies in enabling
metabolic engineering through the culture media composition manipulation, wherein an arbitrarily high number of cell functions are optimized through manipulation of medium factors, as opposed to previous methods, which are eminently empirical, are not
cell function oriented, and require a much higher number of experiments. Furthermore, this new method is based on cost-effective exometabolome assays and does not require costly
intracellular genomic or proteomic assays.