An apparatus for minimizing dead leg spaces in a container or tubing includes a first member having a flange for attaching the first member to a wall of the container or tubing, the flange having at least one aperture, and a second member rotatably coupled to the first member, the second member having an upper end having at least one aperture, and an open distal end. The second member is rotatable relative to the first member between a closed position where the at least one aperture of the second member is misaligned with the at least one aperture in the flange to prevent the passage of fluid, and an open position where the at least one aperture of the second member is aligned with the at least one aperture in the flange to allow for the passage of fluid.

A method of manufacturing a composite sensor assembly includes: providing a port including a high surface tension thermoplastic, the port having a hollow tubular portion and a base having a polymer surface; fusing the polymer surface of the port to a wall of a polymeric bioprocess vessel so that the port communicates with an opening in the wall; and retaining a sensor unit within the hollow tubular portion of the port with an adhesive, at least a portion of the sensor unit being polymeric, wherein the port provides the sensor unit access to an interior of the polymeric bioprocess vessel.

Some fluid coupling devices described herein are configured for use in fluid systems. For example, some embodiments described in this document are single-use, aseptic fluid coupling devices that can be coupled to create a sterile flow path therethrough. Some such aseptic couplings are genderless couplings such that two identical aseptic couplings can be coupled together and then latched to form a robust connection between the aseptic couplings.

A biocontainment vessel includes a vessel structure including a structural composition and an enhancement composition associated with the structural composition. The enhancement composition includes a co-polymer. The co-polymer is a poly(glycerol sebacate) or a poly(glycerol sebacate urethane). The enhancement composition may also include an augmentation agent associated with the co-polymer. The enhancement composition is located with respect to the structural composition such that the enhancement composition benefits biological cells contained in the biocontainment vessel. A composition includes a co-polymer and an augmentation agent contained by the co-polymer. A method of containing biological cells includes placing the biological cells in an augmented biocontainment vessel and storing them in the augmented biocontainment vessel under predetermined conditions. An augmented substrate includes a substrate and an enhancement composition coating a surface of the substrate.

A method for removing exhaust gas from a bioreactor (3) and a bioreactor system. The method comprises the steps of: —providing at least one exhaust filter (15; 115a, 115b) connected to an outlet (7) of the bioreactor (3) for transferring exhaust gas out from the bioreactor; —increasing a pressure at an inlet side (25) of the at least one exhaust filter (15; 115a, 115b) in a connection (16) between the bioreactor (3) and the at least one exhaust filter (15; 115a, 115b) or decreasing a pressure at an outlet side (23) of the at least one exhaust filter (15; 115a, 115b).

There is provided a connector, for introducing or extracting a material to or from at least one receptacle, comprising a housing extending between a distal end and a proximal end, the housing comprising, at least at one end, a pierceable seal; a hollow needle mounted, at least partially, within the housing between the distal end and the proximal end of the housing, a first end of the hollow needle being connected or connectable to a first corresponding receptacle, and a second end of the hollow needle facing the pierceable seal at an end of the housing; and an actuating mechanism acting on the housing or the hollow needle to enable the hollow needle to pierce the pierceable seal thereby forming a communication through the pierceable seal, such that material is able to transfer through the connector.

The present application is directed to a sampling system for sampling a fluid from a vessel, where the sampling system includes a sterile dispenser assembly operatively connected to the vessel, the sterile dispenser assembly including a valve operatively connected to the vessel, a membrane, and a needle, and a detachable sterile sampling container assembly operatively connected to the sterile dispenser assembly, the detachable sterile sampling container assembly including a sampling container, a membrane attached to the sampling container, and a sampling container housing enclosing the sampling container, where the sampling container housing includes a compressible portion having a deflated configuration and an expanded configuration.

Embodiments include assay devices within a single use, disposable cassette for biochemical assays with at least one fluid well and at least one capillary valve. The capillary valve in combination with motion of porous sheets within the assay leads to addition of liquid reagents at different times to the assay although a user adds the liquid reagents to the cassette simultaneously.

An in situ probe, comprising reusable and disposable components, can be employed to measure cell viability in a rocking bioreactor.

The invention relates to a sensor module (1) for multiparametric analysis of a medium (105) and to the uses thereof. The sensor module (1) according to the invention is characterised by a combination of photonic and non-photonic measurement principles with parameter-sensitive coatings (103) on a substrate (100). A plurality of properties of a medium (105) can be detected over wide parameter ranges, wherein the most suitable method can be used for the corresponding parameter, at least for example with regard to the accuracy, the long-term stability, the resolution, the reproducibility, the energy consumption, the manufacturing costs, the necessary space requirements.