Expanded bed adsorption (EBA) has been widely used in industrial downstream bioprocessing. Solid matrix is the principal pillar supporting the successful application of the EBA. A new type of TiO2-densified cellulose beads as matrix for EBA is exploited through the method of water-in-oil suspension thermal regeneration. The typical physical properties of beads are wet density 1.21 g/cm(3), specific surface area 38.7 m(2)/mL, porosity 83.7%, and water content 69.5%. The results indicate that the custom-assembled matrix can be derivated to function as an anion exchanger for EBA, by possessing a significant mechanical strength, stable hydrodynamics, and comparable protein breakthrough capacities with the commercial Streamline diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) adsorbent. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.