Apparatus for processing life-based organic particles, including particles selected from the list comprising cells, cellular spheroids, tissues, eukaryotes, micro-organisms, organs or embryos, comprises a hollow volume (10) that (a) is internally divided into at least first (14), second (16) and third (17) sub-volumes by at least two phaseguides (12, 13) formed inside the volume and (b) includes parts that are relatively upstream and relatively downstream when judged with reference to the movement of a meniscus or a bulk liquid in the volume (10). The apparatus includes at least first, second and third fluid conduits (19, 21, 22) connected to permit fluid communication between the upstream exterior of the volume (10) and a respective said sub-volume (14, 16, 17); and at least one further conduit (24) connected to permit fluid communication between the downstream exterior of the volume (10) and a said sub-volume. The first sub-volume (14) contains one or more life-based particles supported in or by a gel or gel-like substance; and the second sub-volume (16) communicates with the first sub-volume so as to permit transport of substances between the first and second sub-volumes (14, 16) and contains at least one gel or gel-like substance.

A fermentation tank includes a tank body, enclosing a cavity therein, having a material inlet and a material outlet; a heat exchange structure, disposed on a wall of the cavity for heat exchanging with the tank body; at least one flow disturbing plate, being an elongated plate, the width direction of the flow disturbing plate being parallel to a radial direction of the tank body, the longitudinal direction of the flow disturbing plate being parallel to a vertical direction, a length of the flow disturbing plate being larger than a width thereof, the flow disturbing plate being arranged in the cavity and connected to the tank body, the flow disturbing plate having a heat exchange channel therein, two ends of the heat exchange channel communicating an exterior respectively so that heat is exchanged between the at least one flow disturbing plate and the cavity.

Fluid impellers for biocontainers, and bioprocessing units including the impellers and biocontainers, and methods of using the impellers, are disclosed.

A biological culture unit comprises a chamber body and a valve plate. The chamber body has defined therein a growth chamber and an aliquot chamber. The valve plate is disposed on the top surface of the chamber body and is movable to define selectable configurations of the biological culture unit for: (1) loading the growth chamber; (3) transferring an aliquot from the growth chamber to the aliquot chamber via a path defined within the biological culture unit in the transfer position; and (4) extracting the aliquot from the aliquot chamber. The selectable positions may further include (2) a growth position, and (5) a termination position for putting a termination agent into the growth and aliquot chambers. The valve plate may further include a neutralizer port that is aligned with the aliquot chamber in the loading position, for loading a neutralizing agent into the aliquot chamber.

The invention relates generally to methods and apparatus that measure one or more properties of an individual cell type in a non-contact co-culture. More specifically, the invention relates to a novel multiwell plate that allows separate but simultaneous metabolic measurements of cell populations in non-contact co culture.

A device for controlling apical flow to a cell culture includes an apical insert that defines at least one inlet channel extending from an inlet port to an apical feed port and at least one outlet channel extending from an apical effluent port to an outlet port. The apical insert includes a projecting portion configured to extend into a cell culture insert to a depth that is less than a depth of the cell culture insert, and a contact surface configured to maintain a spatial relationship between the projecting portion and the cell culture insert.

A layered, microfluidic array is disclosed. The array has a first layer with a culture channels extending in a first longitudinal direction. Each culture channel includes multiple traps that entrap cell or tissue samples. The array also has a second layer with microfluidic channels extending in a second longitudinal direction that is orthogonal the first longitudinal direction. A third layer, disposed between the first layer and the second layer, has pores arranged within the third layer such that each nest is vertically stacked above, and fluidly connected with, a corresponding culture chamber in the first layer. Each nest is fluidly isolated from adjacent nests by a fluid impermeable region of the third layer such that horizontal diffusion of water within the third layer is prevented.

Systems and a method for transferring chemical, pharmaceutical, and/or biological material into or out of a container are provided. One system comprises a disposable container having at least one port for accessing the interior of the container, the port comprising at least one connecting protrusion extending parallel to the container. The system further comprises a transfer interface connectable to the port. The transfer interface comprises a plate, and at least one connecting flange extending from the plate, the connecting flange to be arranged under the respective connecting protrusion to connect the transfer interface to the port, such that when the transfer interface is connected to the port the plate is parallel to a surface of the container.

This invention discloses a three-dimensional (3D) bioreactor for large scale expansion of immune cells and methods of use. The 3D bioreactor comprising at least one packed bed chamber comprising at least one porous scaffold; at least one porous scaffold coated with one or more extra cellular matrix protein (ECM); at least one container comprising a fluid media, the fluid media is configured to flow through said packed bed chamber with at least one porous coated scaffold; and at least one population of immune cells suspended in the fluid media, wherein, the at least one porous scaffold coated with said ECM is creates a stationary niche having low shear forces that imitate the natural growth environment of the immune cells and allows expansion of the immune cells population that flow through the coated porous scaffold in large scale.

A system and method for growing and maintaining biological material including producing a protein associated with the tissue, selecting cells associated with the tissue, expanding the cells, creating at least one tissue bio-ink including the expanded cells, printing the at least one tissue bio-ink in at least one tissue growth medium mixture, growing the tissue from the printed at least one tissue bio-ink, and maintaining viability of the tissue.