The present invention relates to the long-term preservation of biological material. More specifically, it concerns a preservation container comprising: a biological container for containing biological material, a first shield configured for absorbing gamma-rays, a second shield configured for absorbing ambient neutrons, said second shield surrounding the biological container, the preservation container being of low-radioactivity background materials, and a method for preserving a biological material, comprising: a) providing a biological material in a confinement container, b) providing the preservation container of the invention, c) placing the confinement container containing the biological material into said preservation container, d) storing said preservation container containing the biological material in a room located under a material attenuating cosmic rays and induced particles, said material having a thickness equivalent to 1 m to 7000 m of water, for attenuating cosmic rays.

Described herein is a reliable method for preparing a potent vaccine useful for immunotherapy comprising the step of cryopreserving a population of cells undergoing immunogenic cell death, and using such cells to activate dendritic cells for use in immunotherapy. In a specific embodiment, the method comprises cryopreserving cancer cells undergoing cell death, which can be used to prepare a pharmaceutical composition for immunotherapy against cancer.

The present invention features novel methods for the cryopreservation of mammalian cell that combine the advantages of the slow-freezing and vitrification approaches while avoiding their shortcomings. Generally, the methods include the use of a capillary tube made of a thermally conductive wall material and a thin wall such that the ratio of the thermal conductivity of the wall material to the wall thickness is at least 1,000-500,000. The solution is then exposed to temperatures equal to or less than 80 C. and the vitrification solution containing the mammalian cells is cooled at a rate equal to or greater than 30,000-100,000,000 C./minute. The exposure of the capillary tube with a thermally conductive and thin wall allows for vitrification of the solution in the absence of ice formation. Cryoprotectants can also be added to the vitrification solution to further prevent ice formation.

The present invention discloses a method for modulating freezing of a liquid substance, said liquid substance being in the presence of a gas phase, the method comprising modulating the temperature of the liquid substance, of the gas phase or of both, and controlling the concentration of vapor of the substance present in the gas phase. The invention further comprises a method for preservation, for example, food or other biological material, and an apparatus for putting said method into practice.

A method of storing a donor organ prior to implantation into an organ recipient includes bagging the donor organ by placing the donor organ into at least one bag and sealing the at least one bag; placing the bagged donor organ into a portable storage container; placing at least one cooling pack in the portable storage container, wherein the at least one cooling pack is configured to maintain a temperature of the donor organ at 8 to 12 degrees C. during storage of the donor organ, and storing the donor organ in the portable storage container prior to transplanting the donor organ into the organ recipient, wherein the portable storage container does not contain any ice at any time during storage of the donor organ.

A method of storing a donor organ prior to implantation into an organ recipient includes bagging the donor organ by placing the donor organ into at least one bag and sealing the at least one bag; placing the bagged donor organ into a portable storage container; placing at least one cooling pack in the portable storage container, wherein the at least one cooling pack is configured to maintain a temperature of the donor organ at 8 to 12 degrees C. during storage of the donor organ, and storing the donor organ in the portable storage container prior to transplanting the donor organ into the organ recipient, wherein the portable storage container does not contain any ice at any time during storage of the donor organ.

Systems comprising a microfluidic device are provided for maintaining and analyzing tissue slices. Methods for maintaining tissue slices in a microfluidic device are further provided.

Systems comprising a microfluidic device are provided for maintaining and analyzing tissue slices. Methods for maintaining tissue slices in a microfluidic device are further provided.

Systems and methods herein generally relate to prolonging viability of bodily tissue, especially an organ, by adjusting pressure as needed to maintain a constant pressure within the organ even during external pressure fluctuations due, for example, to transportation of the organ in an airplane. The systems and methods herein can include an electronic pump that pumps gas into an organ and a mechanical pressure regulator to release gas based on organ pressure.

Systems and methods herein generally relate to prolonging viability of bodily tissue, especially an organ, by adjusting pressure as needed to maintain a constant pressure within the organ even during external pressure fluctuations due, for example, to transportation of the organ in an airplane. The systems and methods herein can include an electronic pump that pumps gas into an organ and a mechanical pressure regulator to release gas based on organ pressure.