Systems and methods for assessing a microbial characteristic within a growing medium. Such a system assesses one or more microbial characteristics, such as biomass and/or microbial activity, within a growing medium, such as soil. Electrical properties of a microbially degradable material in contact with the growing medium are measured. The measurements are used to determine the microbial characteristic(s) based at least partly on degradation of the microbially degradable material.

Automatic substance preparation and evaluation systems and methods are provided for preparing and evaluating a fluidic substance, such as e.g. a sample with bodily fluid, in a container and/or in a dispense tip. The systems and methods can detect volumes, evaluate integrities, and check particle concentrations in the container and/or the dispense tip.

Provided herein are systems for continuously measuring oxygen and carbon dioxide gas levels inside a cell culture incubator, comprising an oxygen sensor that uses LED based fluorescence technology to determine the amount of oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere, a carbon dioxide sensor that uses LED based Non-dispersive Infra-Red (NDIR) technology to determine the amount of carbon dioxide in the surrounding atmosphere, and electronics to wirelessly monitor the output from the oxygen sensor and carbon dioxide sensor. Most preferably, the system can be placed inside a cell culture incubator, and sensor readings are pre-compensated for temperature, pressure, and humidity. Also provided herein are methods of using the same.

The invention discloses a first connection unit having a plurality of sensor surfaces and which is adapted to be asepetically connected to a second connection unit mounted e.g. on a flexible bioreactor bag.

A device for single-cell analysis according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a substrate; a gap between the substrate and porous membrane which is a space for culture medium; and a porous membrane formed on having a pore capable of isolating a second cell into single cell units.

A method for single-cell analysis according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: Culturing a first cell in a culture medium on a bottom side of porous membrane; Applying a sample including a second cell on a porous membrane in a culture medium; Isolating the second cell into single cell units in a pore existing in the porous membrane with a external force such as agitation and gravitational force; Generating an interaction situation between the first cells and the single cell-level second cell; Analyzing a cellular phenomena of the first cell or the second cell.

A device for single-cell analysis according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a substrate; a gap between the substrate and porous membrane which is a space for culture medium; and a porous membrane formed on having a pore capable of isolating a second cell into single cell units.

A method for single-cell analysis according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: Culturing a first cell in a culture medium on a bottom side of porous membrane; Applying a sample including a second cell on a porous membrane in a culture medium; Isolating the second cell into single cell units in a pore existing in the porous membrane with a external force such as agitation and gravitational force; Generating an interaction situation between the first cells and the single cell-level second cell; Analyzing a cellular phenomena of the first cell or the second cell.

An apparatus, that relates to the field of in vitro fertilization, is provided for the combined incubation and vitrification of a biological material. The apparatus can be configured to allow for automatic incubation and vitrification of a viable biological material. Thereby predetermined protocols for handling the biological material can be performed precisely and accurately thus avoiding errors and deviations from the intended protocol, as caused by manual human intervention.

The present approach relates to the design and use of a functionally closed bioreactor designed to immobilize, culture, and mature tissue on a loading platform. The bioreactor may be equipped with sensors for tissue monitoring which in conjunction with stiffness data can provide closed-loop control of tissue maturation. Based on a relationship between cartilage stiffness and tissue maturity, measurements of stiffness can be acquired and used as a surrogate for cartilage maturity without the need for destructive tests.

Herein is reported a feed mixing device for adding feed solutions with a non-physiologically pH value to a cell cultivation vessel comprising a chamber for mixing the feed solutions prior to their addition to the cell cultivation vessel as well as its use. With the feed mixing device as reported herein feed components can be provided in solution at a pH value at which they have good solubility and/or good stability whereby the pH value can be clearly different from the pH value of the cultivation medium, i.e. different from the physiological pH value. This allows performing the cultivation with more flexibility compared to a cultivation in which the pH value of the feed solution is limited to a small range around the pH value of the cultivation.

A method for controlling electrical power consumption for a first group of functional which can be used for operational management during operation of the bioreactor components during operation comprises, inter alia, adjusting a present power control signal for one or more of the functional components from the first group in order to optimise power consumption, when a comparison shows for the first group of functional components that the currently required total electrical power consumption is greater than a predefined total electrical power consumption, such that, for the first group of functional components, an adjusted total electrical power consumption is not greater than the predefined total electrical power consumption. A biotechnological apparatus comprises a bioreactor, a reactor vessel formed in the bioreactor and having a cultivation chamber, and a temperature control device provided with a heat pump and configured to control the temperature of the cultivation chamber.