A freezing apparatus includes a tube that stores a freezing target, an electric pipetter that is actuated for injection and discharge of a liquid into and from a tube and for movement of the tube, and a liquid nitrogen tank that stores refrigerant for freezing the freezing target. The tube has, at a bottom thereof, an opening smaller in size than the freezing target. The electric pipetter discharges the liquid from the tube through the opening after the injection of the liquid into the tube, and moves the tube to the liquid nitrogen tank.

A spirally ascending/descending cryogenic storage apparatus, comprising a cryogenic storage tank, the temperature in the cryogenic storage tank being continuously maintained at a certain deep cryogenic range. A driving component and a rotating storage rack are provided within the cryogenic storage tank. Multiple shelf boxes can be stored in the circumferential direction of the rotating storage rack. The driving component can drive the rotating storage rack to spirally ascent or spirally descent in the cryogenic storage tank. An access opening is provided on the cryogenic storage tank. The multiple shelf boxes can rotate to a position corresponding to the access opening with the movement of the rotating storage rack. The cryogenic storage tank is a liquid nitrogen tank. Liquid nitrogen is provided at the bottom part within the liquid nitrogen tank.

A cap for closing a canister includes a receptacle including a bottom wall, and one or more walls extending upward from the bottom wall and defining an opening of the receptacle that is configured to receive a body of the canister, and a handle extending upward from the receptacle and defining vertical slots that are configured to receive respective hooks of the canister.

Embodiments for a portable and compact centrifugation and thermal management system capable of separating and transporting biological samples while maintaining sample quality for periods of shipment time are described. A compact, automatic centrifuge holding exactly one sample tube is inside an insulating and thermally managed container suitable for standard shipping. A rotor to retain a sample tube is pre-balanced. An electronic controller starts, times and stops centrifugation automatically, responsive to placement of a lid. Thermal management may comprise a phase change material. Embodiments are free of user controls. Embodiments are free of the need for external power or external control.

A cryogenic storage device includes a storage tank having an inner tank, an intermediate tank and an outer tank spaced apart from each other so as to define a fluid reservoir for holding a cryogenic liquid and a thermal insulative space bounding the fluid reservoir. A top cover closes the open top. An inlet supplies the cryogenic liquid to the fluid reservoir. A fluid sensor is configured to detect a pressure within the cryogenic storage device and is removably disposed within the fluid reservoir so as to allow an ice formation to be thawed without having to thaw the entire cryogenic storage device.

An apparatus for preserving biological products comprising an inner housing arranged within an outer insulated housing, wherein walls of the inner housing define a compartment for receiving biological products, said walls comprising an inlet wall for inflow of a heat exchange fluid into the compartment, an opposed outlet wall for outflow of a heat exchange fluid out of the compartment, side walls and a base, the side walls and base adjoining the inlet wall to the outlet wall, wherein the inlet wall and outlet wall each include a series of apertures to accommodate a continuous heat exchange fluid flow through the apparatus such that, in operation, biological products received in the compartment of the inner housing are immersed in the heat exchange fluid to exchange heat with the heat exchange fluid.

A biological specimen of a subject is handled and tracked for a procedure involving that specimen. Prior to initiation of the procedure, a first procedure data structure (PDS) is generated. The first PDS binds an identifier corresponding to the subject with an indicator of a procedure to be performed on the specimen and identifiers of a specimen container and a specimen holder that physically contacts the biological specimen, as well as a scheduled time for the procedure. A schedule of a plurality of PDSs including the first PDS, is displayed on a display device of a graphical user interface. Following initiation of the procedure, the first PDS is updated based on user input, and after the procedure, at least a portion of the first PDS, as updated, is stored in a database in conjunction with other PDSs respectively associated with other completed procedures.

A liquid nitrogen tank includes a tank, a storage rack and a drive component. The tank includes a tank cover, a tank body, a vacuum cavity layer and a heat-insulating cavity layer. The tank cover is disposed to cover on the tank body. An access door is provided on the tank body. A storage cavity is provided in the tank body. The heat-insulating cavity layer is provided on a periphery of the storage cavity. The vacuum cavity layer is provided on a periphery of the heat-insulating cavity layer. The storage rack is provided in the storage cavity. A plurality of cryopreservation tube racks are stored in the storage rack. The drive component can drive the storage rack to rotate and move up and down in the storage cavity, and can drive the plurality of cryopreservation tube racks to move to a position corresponding to the access door.

Provided herein is technology relating to cryopreservation and particularly, but not exclusively, to devices, systems, and methods for cryopreservation of biological materials such as oocytes, zygotes, and embryos. In particular, provided herein are methods of using microfluidic devices to exposing biological material to a vitrification solution having a time dependent concentration of a cryoprotectant agent.

A sample heating/cooling device (2) comprises a plurality of members (6) operable in use to heat and/or cool one or more samples (22). Each member (6) has a sample contact surface and is biased towards a resting position under the operation of a biasing means. The members (6) are movable independently of one another against said bias under the application of a force on the sample contact surface and so are able to conform to the shape of a sample placed on the members to provide a uniform heating/cooling profile. The members (6) may be mounted in a heating/cooling element (4) and adapted to conduct thermal energy between the sample (22) and the element (4). The device (2) is particularly suitable for thawing frozen sample bags having an irregular shape. A corresponding method is also described.