Provided herein are methods and systems for growing and maintaining stem cells in suspension. In some cases, the methods and systems involve the use of optical switches for activating one or more growth factor signaling pathways involved in the growth and/or maintenance of stem cells.

A microalgae culture broth producing system includes a device for culture broth sterilization using a micro bubble generator, an air compression and pressure equalization device for the injection of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere into the culture broth. The system also includes an air chilling device to maintain suitable culture broth temperature when water temperature is too high, an automatic carbon dioxide supply device to promote photosynthesis, and a sealed vertical photobioreactor to block out pollutants and increase dissolved carbon dioxide and oxygen concentration. The system further includes a high-efficiency harvesting device using hollow fiber membranes, and a hot air drying device using the waste heat generated by air compression.

Some embodiments include a system having a support structure configured to mechanically support a first bioreactor. The support structure can have a first frame and a second frame together being configured to mechanically support the first bioreactor in interposition between the first frame and the second frame. The first frame can maintain a first set point temperature of the first bioreactor through an exchange of thermal energy between the first frame and the first bioreactor when the first bioreactor is vitally supporting one or more first microorganisms and when the support structure is mechanically supporting the first bioreactor. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.

Microscopic biological organism culture and observation apparatus (1) comprising a support structure (10), one or more chip holders (3) mounted on the support structure, a pump (P) and a valve system (V), each chip holder configured for holding a microfluidic chip (2) having one or more microfluidic channels (54) and culture chambers (52) therein extending between a pump coupling side (44a) of the microfluidic chip and a reservoir side coupling (44b) of the microfluidic chip. The support structure comprises a reservoirs support platform (7) mounted on a movable table (12), the reservoirs support platform (7) configured for holding a plurality of nutrition reservoirs (5) for containing microscopic biological organisms or nutrients and substances to be tested in a liquid. The chip holder (3) and/or microfluidic chips (2) comprise reservoir side fluidic couplings (26) in the form of hollow tubes extending from the microfluidic chip (2) to a tip (26b) at a free end of the hollow tube, each tip (26b) insertable in a corresponding nutrition reservoir

A culture system includes a culture device that includes a culture tank for culturing microalgae, and a collection device that collects a culture solution. The culture tank includes a bottom portion located at the lowest position in the depth direction. The collection device includes a collection tube housed in the culture tank. The collection tube is a tubular body having an internal space. The collection tube includes a bottom side collection portion that extends along the bottom portion of the culture tank. The bottom side collection portion includes an open port formed at a site facing upward in the depth direction of the culture tank.

Provided is a cell-culturing apparatus including: an incubator that can maintain an interior thereof in an environment that is appropriate for growth of cells; a cell-culturing vessel that is accommodated inside the incubator; an optical-data acquisition unit that acquires optical data of a medium in the cell-culturing vessel; a medium changing unit that changes the medium in the cell-culturing vessel; and a controller, wherein a timing at which the medium is changed is determined on the basis of a change over time in the optical data acquired by the optical-data acquisition unit.

The present invention is related to an anaerobic photobioreactor and a method for active biomass cultivation, wastewater treatment, nutrients recovery, energy production and high-value products synthesis. Phototrophic bacteria are cultured in the anaerobic photobioreactor lighted with solar or artificial irradiation where certain light wavelengths are selectively discarded with a light selector installed on the top of the photobioreactor. In this light-based process wastewater treatment and resources recovery, like nutrients and high-value bioproducts (fertilizers, polymers and proteins) present in wastewater are performed simultaneously. Cultured biomass is treated by anaerobic digestion for biofuel production, including optative hydrolytic pre-treatment, and/or valuable bioproducts can be obtained in a downstream process.

There is provided an adherent cell-culture support comprising gold nanoparticles on the surface where the cells attach to, wherein the size of the nanoparticles is from 5 nm to 2 microns, the distance between the nanoparticles is from 2 nm to 30 nm and the anisotropy aspect ratio is greater than 1. These substrates have improved properties for allowing the culturing and subsequent detachment of cells, with potential applications in a wide range of fields such as stem cell research and tissue engineering. There is also provided a process for their preparation and several uses thereof.

Methods and systems for preparing clonal cell populations are described. In some instances the disclosed methods comprise: a) identifying and selecting a cell based on its position on a surface or in a container, where the selection is not based on whether the cell comprises an exogenous label or an expressed reporter; b) photoablating all non-selected cells on the surface or in the container, and c) growing a clonal population of the selected cell.

This disclosure features methods and compositions for treating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract with an immunosuppressant.