Photobioreactor devices and units for the production of biomass and remediation of environmental contamination are provided. The bioreactor devices comprise a membrane photobioreactor (PBR), the PBR comprising a liquid medium, at least one photosynthetic microorganism, and at least one outer membrane layer, wherein the membrane layer is comprised of a material that is permeable to gas transfer across the membrane layer; and further comprise a chamber defining a gaseous atmosphere enclosed within, wherein the PBR is located inside the chamber. The devices also comprise a control system which controls the composition of the atmosphere within the chamber. Gas transfer occurs across the membrane layer of the PBR, between the PBR and the atmosphere comprised within the chamber. Systems comprising the devices are provided as well as methods of using the devices for the production of biomass, remediation of wastewater and removal of atmospheric pollutants.

The invention generally relates to containers for cell and tissue culturing with multiple compartments in fluid communication with each other to provide a common culture environment in each of the compartments while maintaining physical separation of cells and tissue therein. The invention further relates to culture containers providing a sterile culture environment with detachably coupleable lids and open access to each compartment within a container.

A cell culture chamber device for growing cell cultures and tissues. The device includes: an enclosure containing a cell culture media, the enclosure being defined partly by a first end, a second end, and a connecting wall. The first end or a part or window thereof is substantially transparent, and the second end and/or the connecting wall, or a respective part or window thereof, is/are substantially transparent/translucent. The first end is configured to be optically aligned, at least for some period of time or periodically, with the second end and/or with the connecting wall so that light or another illumination or visualisation signal, transmitted through or by the second end and/or through or by the connecting wall into the enclosure is transmitted through the cell culture media and out through the first end to outside the enclosure, and e.g. to outside the cell culture chamber device.

A method for achieving microfluidic perfusion of a spheroid, the method being implemented in a microfluidic device that includes a cavity for hydrodynamically trapping the spheroid, the method including performing a first injection of a gel containing the spheroid into the microfluidic network, hydrodynamically trapping the spheroid in the trapping cavity of the microfluidic network, performing a second injection of a fluid that is non-miscible with the gel into the microfluidic network with a view to flushing away gel present in the network, except in the trapping cavity, cross-linking the gel present around the spheroid, in the trapping cavity, performing a third injection of a culture medium into the microfluidic network with a view to perfusing the spheroid petrified in its gelled environment, and located in the trapping cavity.

The present invention relates to a novel bioreactor system for preparing an engineered three- dimensional biological tissue construct. The bioreactor system comprises a cultivation chamber that is designed to allow the formation, cultivation and the subsequent testing and/or stimulation of tissue constructs on one or more support elements with a minimum risk of microbial contamination or mechanical damage The invention furthermore relates to a method for preparing an engineered tissue construct using the novel bioreactor system. The invention also relates to the use of the bioreactor system for preparing engineered biological tissue constructs, preferably tissue constructs which are suitable for being used in clinical tissue replacement and reconstructive therapy, drug development, drug screening, toxicity testing, cosmetic studies, safety testing, developmental studies, disease modeling, or food purposes.

The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus and methods for microorganism isolation, characterization and identification based on oxygen, pressure, culture media gradients and metabolites. In each embodiment, the apparatus of the disclosure is particularly useful for the purpose of novel isolation of never before cultured species of microorganisms and their by-products.

The bioenvironmental simulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least one mounting unit on which cells to be measured are placed, a rotational force application unit configured to rotate the mounting unit so as to apply a rotational force to the cells to be measured placed on the mounting unit, and a culture liquid flow device through which a culture liquid flows across the mounting unit, wherein the culture liquid flows by the culture liquid flow device so as to apply a shear force to the cells to be measured.

A bioreactor chamber (1) including a first end block (4), a second end block (6) and a flexible membrane (2). The flexible membrane (2) extends between the first end block (4) and the second end block (6) and defines a cavity (10) bounded by at least the flexible membrane (2). The cavity (10) is arranged to receive a substrate, for growing a culture on the substrate or a biomaterial for testing the biomaterial.

A cell transplantation pretreatment method, a cell transplantation pretreatment device, and a cell transplantation pretreatment unit are provided, which are capable of improving the efficiency of loading grafts into a transplantation device. The cell transplantation pretreatment method includes the steps of: transporting a cell group cultured in a culture recess to a pretreatment recess using a culture tray including a plurality of the culture recesses arranged according to a first arrangement, a pretreatment tray including a plurality of the pretreatment recesses arranged according to a second arrangement, and a transplantation device including a needle shaped portion having a tubular shape configured to allow entry and exit of a graft containing the cell group, the transplantation device including a plurality of the needle shaped portions arranged according to the second arrangement; and loading the cell groups simultaneously from the plurality of pretreatment recesses into the plurality of needle shaped portions.

Described herein are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable media to non-destructively acquire three-dimensional profiles of cellular microbiological samples growing on the surface of a solid growth medium. Acquisitions can be performed by an optical microscope that includes a vertical scanning interferometer. The three-dimensional profiles can enable measurement of sample parameters of microcolonies, which can be made of microbial colony forming units. The methods and systems enable early and rapid detection and quantification of microbes.