The invention provides a substrate for producing cell aggregates provided with a spot(s) comprising a copolymer containing recurring units derived from monomers represented by the following formulae (I) and (II):

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wherein U.sup.a1, U.sup.a2, R.sup.a1, R.sup.a2 and R.sup.b are as defined herein, on a substrate having an ability to inhibit adhesion of cells, wherein a completion time of forming cell aggregates after seeding cells is within 20 hours.

Described herein is a beads-free bioprocessor as an automated and cost-effective T cell processing and manufacturing platform. T cells are a core component in CAR T cell therapies for cancer treatment, but are difficult to manufacture to scale in clinically relevant quantities. The 3D bioprocessor provides an alternative device that is scalable, beads-free, easy-to-use, and cost-effective for using CAR T cell therapy in cancer immunotherapy. Besides CAR T cell application, this platform technology has potential for many other applications such as cancer cell isolation.

An apparatus and method for producing a bacterial cellulose composite having a core-shell structure by dynamic fermentation are described. The apparatus comprises a fermentation culture container and two rollers and two heating guide plates arranged in the fermentation culture container. The apparatus can realize dynamic fermentation and coating, and can obtain a bacterial cellulose composite material with controllable shape and size, good biocompatibility and safety.

Provided are a method for producing a cell tissue, including a culturing step of culturing cells capable of serving as a feeder inside opening pores and communicating pores of a porous film having a plurality of the opening pores provided on a surface thereof and the communicating pores communicating mutually adjacent opening pores with one another; and a porous film including a plurality of opening pores provided on a surface thereof and communicating pores communicating mutually adjacent opening pores with one another.

The present invention provides methods and systems which accommodate 3-dimensional adipocyte expansion to produce, e.g., mature adipocytes and synthetic adipose tissue with cellular properties of mature adult organisms, including cell size and cytoarchitecture, and the use of such methods and systems for, e.g., in vitro drug screening and/or toxicity assays, disease modeling, and therapeutic applications.

A platform for testing cell response to biochemical agents. The TrophoWell™ includes a well which contains a gel, and a plurality of capillaries that open into it. Cells and various biochemical agents such as drugs and growth factors are flown through those capillaries. The platform allows for the evaluation of cell response by imaging. The platform is a cost effective testing platform and can be used in the fields for drug discovery and personalized medicine.

The disclosure relates to bioreactors, for example for biological treatment and, more specifically to bioreactor insert apparatus including biofilms and related methods. The bioreactor insert apparatus provides a means for circulation of reaction medium within the bioreactor, a biofilm support, and biological treatment of an inlet feed to die reactor/insert apparatus. The bioreactor insert apparatus has a high relative surface area for biofilm attachment and is capable of generating complex flow patterns and increasing treatment efficiency/biological conversion activity in a biologically-active reactor. The high surface area structure incorporates multiple biofilm support structures such as meshes at inlet and outlet portions of the structure. The biofilm support structures and biofilms thereon can increase overall reaction rate of the bioreactor and/or perform some solid/liquid separation in the treatment of the wastewater or other influent.

The invention concerns a filtration assembly (1) for microbiological testing and a method of using the filtration assembly for that purpose. The filtration assembly (1) comprises a ring-like membrane support (10) holding a filtration membrane (11), a cylindrical reservoir (20) of which opposite axial ends have openings and one axial opening is removably and fluid-tightly attachable to the membrane support (10) to define a sample volume adjacent to the filtration membrane (11) on one axial side of the membrane support (10); and a drain member (30) removably and fluid tightly attachable to the membrane support (10) to define a drain channel space adjacent to the filtration membrane (11) on an opposite axial side of the membrane support (10).

Methods and systems for generating three-dimensional (3D) engineered tissues (ETs), and for electrical stimulation of same, are provided. Provided is an ET assembly comprising an ET lid with first post and second post assemblies coupled thereto. Provided is a casting assembly comprising the ET assembly and a casting plate. Provided are stimulation methods and systems for stimulating tissue constructs.

Microorganisms present within a plurality of microorganism clusters immobilized in a porous support material may collectively define a supported bio-catalyst. When the microorganisms are effective to convert methane into one or more oxidized carbon compounds (e.g., methanotrophic bacteria), the supported bio-catalysts may be utilized to remove methane from methane-containing gas streams, such as those obtained from mining ventilation. Methods for processing a methane-containing gas stream may comprise interacting the gas stream with the supported bio-catalyst in substantial absence of a liquid phase, and obtaining a methane-depleted gas stream downstream from the supported bio-catalyst. Systems for processing a methane-containing gas stream may comprise the supported bio-catalysts housed in one or more vessels fluidly coupled to a source of methane-containing gas stream. A gas concentration in the methane-containing gas stream and/or the methane-depleted gas stream may be used to determine a current state or anticipated remaining lifetime of the supported bio-catalyst.