Devices for treatment of cells are disclosed. The devices include an elongated housing and at least one hollow fiber semi-permeable membrane positioned within the housing having a plurality of pores dimensioned to prevent passage of the cells to be treated. Systems for treatment of cells including the device are disclosed. Methods of treating cells, including transducing cells and activating cells, are also disclosed. The methods include introducing a biosample with cells to be treated into the device, introducing media to suspend and release treated cells into the device, and discharging the treated cells from the device.

A liquid filtration system comprising a syringe pump comprising a gas chamber and a movable plunger, wherein the gas chamber has an aperture at a first end and the plunger forms a seal within the internal walls of the chamber; a liquid chamber having two openings, the openings positioned at opposite ends of the chamber and the first opening connected to the aperture of the gas chamber; a bioreactor in fluidic communication with the second opening of the liquid chamber; a filter arranged to filter liquid passing between the bioreactor and the liquid chamber, the filter comprising a permeate outlet for removing filtered liquid; wherein, in use, the plunger may be moved in a reciprocating motion causing a corresponding movement of gas which drives liquid alternately between the liquid chamber and the bioreactor such that liquid passes through the filter and filtered liquid may be removed via the permeate outlet.

The embodiments of the disclosure provide a biological filtration system and a controlling method for the biological filtration system. The biological filtration system for filtering a solution in a bioreactor, comprises: a filter device having a top end and a bottom end, one of the top end and the bottom end being in fluid communication with the bioreactor for filtering the solution in the bioreactor; a liquid chamber in fluid communication with the other one of the top end and the bottom end for storing a solution in the filter device; a positive pressure pump, in fluid communication with the liquid chamber, for driving a solution to flow from the liquid chamber to the bioreactor; and a negative pressure pump, in fluid communication with the liquid chamber, for driving a solution to flow from the bioreactor to the liquid chamber.

An assembly includes a housing with opposite first and second layers. The first and second layers are spaced apart to define a confined interior space. A semi-permeable membrane is attached to the first layer, the semi-permeable membrane covering a porous area portion of the first layer. An outlet port and an inlet port are in fluid communication with the interior space. The assembly includes a first circulator for circulating a first fluid between the outlet port and the inlet port, and a second circulator for circulating a second fluid along an exterior surface of the semi-permeable membrane. The second circulator includes a fluid duct attached to or integrated within the housing. The fluid duct is isolated from the interior space and is porous to provide fluid access to an exterior surface of the semi-permeable membrane. The semi-permeable membrane forms a barrier allowing exchange of compounds across the membrane.

A liquid filtration system according to the present invention comprises a bioreactor; a filter configured to filter liquid passing therethrough; a perfusion pump configured to move liquid between the bioreactor and the filter; a liquid line providing fluidic communication between the bioreactor, perfusion pump and filter; and a bleed outlet provided on the liquid line, the bleed outlet configured to provide means to remove liquid selectively from the system under the action of the perfusion pump. With the liquid filtration system according to the present invention, both the filtering and bleed functions may be performed under the action of a single pump, thereby significantly reducing the complexity and cost of the components required.

An improved dry grind system and method for producing a sugar stream from grains or similar carbohydrate sources and/or residues, such as for biofuel production. In particular, a sugar/carbohydrate stream, which includes a desired Dextrose Equivalent (DE) where DE describes the degree of conversion of starch to dextrose (aka glucose) and/or has had removed therefrom an undesirable amount of unfermentable components, can be produced after saccharification and prior to fermentation (or other sugar conversion process), with such sugar stream being available for biofuel production, e.g., alcohol production, or other processes. In addition, the systems and methods also can involve the removal of certain grain components, e.g., corn kernel components, including protein, oil and/or fiber, prior to fermentation or other conversion systems. In other words, sugar stream production and/or grain component separation occurs on the front end of the system and method.

A system for growing and harvesting algae biomass includes a photo-bioreactor suitable for algae growth in water and a filter unit in fluid communication with the photo-bioreactor. An algae slurry, when at least partially contained within the photo-bioreactor, generates hydrostatic fluid pressure that exclusively drives the algae slurry to the filter unit and discharges a permeate.

A device for treatment of cells with particles is disclosed. The device includes a semi-permeable membrane positioned between two plates, the first plate defining a first flow chamber and comprising a port, a flow channel, a transverse port, and a transverse flow channel, the first flow chamber constructed and arranged to deliver fluid in a transverse direction along the first side of the semi-permeable membrane, the second plate defining a second flow chamber and comprising a port. A method for transducing cells is disclosed. The method includes introducing a fluid with cells and viral particles into a flow chamber adjacent a semi-permeable membrane such that the cells and the viral particles are substantially evenly distributed on the semi-permeable membrane. The method also includes introducing a recovery fluid to suspend the cells and the viral particles, and separating the cells from the viral particles. A method of activating cells is disclosed.

A perfusion module and a perfusion culture system are provided, including: a bioreaction module, including at least one bioreactor; a perfusion module, including at least one perfusion chamber, each perfusion chamber is connected to a pressure regulating pipe for inflow or outflow of an airflow; when there are multiple perfusion chambers, every two adjacent perfusion chambers are connected to each other; at least one bioreactor, the perfusion module, the filtration module are communicated in sequence, if there are more than two perfusion chambers, all of perfusion chambers are set side by side; a cell culture fluid in at least one bioreactor flows into at least one perfusion chamber, flows out from at least one perfusion chamber into at least one filter, and a permeate from at least one filter flows into a harvesting device. The present disclosure avoids high shear forces in the perfusion culture system.

Described herein is a bifurcated continuous field-flow fractionation (BCFFF) chip for high-yield and high-throughput nucleic acid extraction and purification. BCFFF uses a membrane ionic transistor to sustain low-ionic strength in a localized region at a junction, such that the resulting high field can selectively isolate high-charge density nucleic acids from the main flow channel and insert them into a standardized buffer in a side channel that bifurcates from the junction. The BCFFF platform can be used for isolation of both long dsDNAs and short miRNAs, without changing the device configuration or the operation protocol. BCFFF results in high-efficiency (>85%) concentration-independent DNA extraction and 40% net qRT-PCR miRNA yield from plasma, which is significantly higher than any other commercial liquid and solid extraction technologies.