The present technology generally relates to a cryogenic tissue sample storage system. Select embodiments of a tissue sample storage system include a tray having a first well configured to receive a first tissue sample therein a second well configured to receive a second tissue sample therein. The tray can include a first well identification feature associated with the first well and a second well identification feature associated with the second well. The storage system can further include a lid hingedly associated with the tray and movable between (a) a first position in which the first and second wells are occluded by the lid, and (b) a second position in which the first and second wells are externally accessible. The first well identification feature can be unique from the second well identification feature.

A specimen transporter includes a housing and a lid attached so as to enable a transition of the specimen transporter from a closed configuration, in which an internal cavity of the housing is thermally isolated from an exterior of the specimen transporter, to an open configuration, in which the internal cavity is accessible via an opening of the housing. The specimen transporter includes a thermal shunt positioned within the internal cavity so as to evenly distribute heat within the internal cavity. The specimen transporter includes a carrier to support one or more specimen containers each carrying a respective biological sample to be transported.

To provide a low-temperature storage system that can reduce unusable idle spaces to improve space efficiency for storing storage objects and to prevent a drop in cooling efficiency with simple structure. The low-temperature storage system includes a low-temperature storage chamber accommodating a rotary storage shelf, a moving mechanism having a holding part to carry a storage rack thereon for loading and unloading a storage object in the storage rack, and a picking stage. The holding part is located such that its center axis along a direction of its back and forth movement does not intersect a rotating shaft of the rotary storage shelf. The rotary storage shelf stores the storage rack such that the storage rack, when brought to a removal position, is oriented in a same direction as that of a storage rack placed on the picking stage.

The present disclosure provides cryogenic storage systems and methods of using the cryogenic storage systems. A cryogenic storage system of the present disclosure may comprise a cryogenic tank with an inner door and an outer door, and a robot apparatus located adjacent to the cryogenic tank. The cryogenic tank may store multiple racks such that at most a single rack is removable through the inner door or the outer door. The cryogenic tank may store the multiple racks in multiple groups of racks comprising a first group of racks located at a first radial distance and a second group of racks located at a second radial distance that is greater than the first radial distance. The robot apparatus may selectively open and close the inner or outer doors, and insert or withdraw the single rack into or out of the cryogenic tank through the inner door or the outer door.

A system for cryocooling biological samples includes a first chamber that holds a first amount a cryogenic liquid. A container holder, which is positioned in thermal contact with the first chamber, holds a removable container positioned therein. The container holds a second amount of the cryogenic liquid and forms a second chamber. An elongated tube holder holds a hollow elongated tube into the container. A sample wand holds and transfers a sample holder with a biological sample into the elongated tube while the elongated tube is in the container with the second amount of the cryogenic liquid.

This disclosure relates to a system and method to improve the uniformity of the heat transfer coefficient of containers filled with biological materials during the freezing and thawing process, in particular a system that is easily transported and incremented to other conventional freeze-thaw methods and equipment. The system includes a portable air blast system configured to receive a container filled with biological materials and to be placed in a cooling or heating chamber, for homogeneous and reproducible freezing and thawing of biological materials. This disclosure also relates to a method of freezing and thawing biological solution inside a container by using the portable air blast system according to any of the previous claims 1-12, comprising: obtaining a container filled with biological solution; placing the container into the vent enclosure and on the stand of the air blast system; placing the air blast system with the container into a heating or cooling chamber; activating the air blast system by activating the fan in the air blast system.

A cryogenic device for storing biological material containers comprises: a sealed cryogenic Dewar vessel; (b) a matrix of receptacles disposed in an inner space of the cryogenic Dewar vessel and configured for receiving and storing biological material containers; (c) means for loading and retrieving the biological material containers. The loading/retrieving means comprises a telescopic cane manipulator configured for loading and retrieving the biological material containers within the matrix. The receptacles are carried by a carousel member rotatable around an axis thereof. The receptacles are arranged into a number of groups distributed over the carousel member. Each group of the receptacles has a central point positioned at distance R.sub.1 from the rotation axis of the carousel member. a center of each receptacle within the group is positioned around a central point thereof at distance R.sub.2.

Methods and vitrification systems for biological samples are provided. The vitrification system has a rotatable cryowheel (210) with a facing surface (220). Droplets of a composition that includes a biological sample are released onto the facing surface. Droplets are rapidly pulled beneath the surface of the cryogenic coolant (160) to generate vitrified samples (180). Methods and cryopreservation devices are also provided that incorporate the vitrification systems.

A portable temperature-controlled container for receiving and housing one or more handheld carriers, each handheld carrier configured to transfer samples to and from a temperature-controlled storage environment, the handheld carrier including a handle and a tray portion, the tray portion configured to be slid into a port of a rack or tower provided in the temperature-controlled storage environment in order to withdraw a sample located in the port, the portable temperature-controlled container including a housing having an opening forming an internal cavity configured to receive one or more handheld carriers, and a lid configured to substantially close the opening, where the housing includes a recess configured to receive the handle of the handheld carrier such that closing of the lid substantially seals the internal cavity when the one or more handheld carriers are placed in the housing.

A system to store specimen containers in a temperature controlled environment includes at least a first temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature in a first region of the temperature controlled environment in an interior of the cryogenic storage tank and at least a first level sensor positioned to sense a level of a cryogenic medium within the temperature controlled environment in the interior of the cryogenic storage tank. A method of storing specimen containers in a temperature controlled environment includes monitoring one or more parameters within the temperature controlled environment to prevent exposure of biological samples within the specimen containers to parameters that put the viability of the biological samples at risk.