A bioreactor is provided that includes a main reactor having a configuration selected from the group consisting of stirred and unstirred tank reactor, trickle bed reactor (TBR), cocurrent contactor (CCC), moving bed bioreactor (MBBR), and a bubble column reactor. The bioreactor also includes a growth reactor continuous with the main reactor and having a configuration selected from the group consisting of stirred and unstirred tank reactor, trickle bed reactor (TBR), cocurrent contactor (CCC), moving bed bioreactor (MBBR), and a bubble column reactor. A method is also provided where acetogenic bacteria are contacted with syngas in a growth fermentor section of a reactor vessel that is continuous with a main fermentor section of a reactor vessel.

A gas supply device for operation in an incubator allowing treatment of a culture within a shaker flask with gas independently of the composition and humidity of the gas atmosphere within the incubator individually supplies each shaker flask of the incubator with gas using a gas supply clamp detachably connected to the closure cap of each flask. The gas supply clamp has at least two elastic clamping jaws and a web connecting the clamping jaws to one another. The clamping jaws exert a clamping force on the side wall of the closure cap. The clamp is held in place by the elastic clamping jaws. Above a sterile filter in the closure cap, an individual gas atmosphere for treatment of the culture in the shaker flask is produced in a recess of the web above a gas passage in the closure cap.

The culture medium processing system includes a controller (100) configured to control operation of a sample dispensing part (20), a reagent dispensing part (26) and a transport arm (24) to deproteinize a sample, wherein the controller (100) is configured to dispense a methanol solution into an empty filtration container (50) to perform a conditioning of a filtration filter (52) disposed in the filtration container (50), then dispense a sample into the filtration container (50), add an acetonitrile solution as a deproteinization agent to the sample in the filtration container (50), and then perform a filtration process in the filtration part (30).

A lactic acid adsorbent includes a layered double hydroxide that contains multiple metal hydroxide layers and also contains anions and water molecules held between the metal hydroxide layers. The anions include (i) an amino acid such as glutamine, (ii) a dipeptide constituted by one or two kinds of amino acids such as glutamine, (iii) a vitamin such as ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, (iv) a pH buffer such as MES, (v) a glucose metabolite such as pyruvic acid, or (vi) inorganic ions selected from a group including NO.sub.3.sup.− and Cl.sup.−.

The invention relates to an apparatus (200) for incubation of a viable biological material (2); said apparatus comprises: a housing (4) having an extension in a longitudinal direction X, in a transversal direction Y, and in a direction Z perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction; said housing comprising: two or more culture dish compartments (6), each being adapted to accommodate, one or more culture dishes (8) comprising a biological material (2); wherein said apparatus comprises an image capturing device (10); wherein said apparatus comprises a control unit (12) for controlling the operation thereof; wherein at least part of said image capturing device is being configured to be movable in relation to the two or more culture dish compartments (6), thereby allowing capture of images of one or more of said biological materials (2) accommodated in said one or more culture dishes (8); and wherein said apparatus comprises a FLIM unit (11) (fluorescent lifetime imaging microscope); wherein at least part of said FLIM unit (11) is being configured to be movable in relation to the two or more culture dish compartments (6), thereby allowing capture of FLIM spectra of one or more of said biological materials (2) accommodated in said one or more culture dishes (8).

The invention relates to a method for producing products by microbial fermentation. The method comprises first converting a feed stream containing methane to a gaseous substrate comprising CO, of the invention include converting CO H.sub.2, and CO.sub.2 using a steam reforming zone and a water gas shift zone. The gaseous substrate is then converted to products such as alcohols and/or acids byto one or more products including alcohols and/or acids by fermentation using a carboxydotrophic microorganism.

A configurable system for repeatably performing processes related to tissue growth in a controlled environment, possibly part of an industrial production line. The system can accommodate various sizes and shapes of culture vessels, and can maintain the cells at a desired temperature in the culture vessels, thus enabling a plug and play system that can produce consistent and repeatable results. The system includes gas management, fluid management, and control of multiple processes simultaneously, and can be automatically operably coupled with a variety of supporting technologies that can enable tissue-related processes. The system can communicate with supporting technologies upstream and downstream on a manufacturing line, enabling fully automated process control, centralized data historization, and centralized control.

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.

The present invention aim at providing a novel animal cell growth promoter. Specifically, a culture supernatant of an embryonic membrane derived from an avian or reptilian fertilized egg is use as an animal cell growth promoter. For example, by adding, to an animal cell culture medium, an animal cell growth promoter comprising, as an active ingredient, a culture supernatant of an embryonic membrane derived from an avian or reptilian fertilized egg, the animal cell growth can be promoted.

A method may be provided for stimulating the growth of a biomass, which is mixed with a liquid inside a bioreactor, by means of ionising radiation. The following method steps are used: a) exposing a first partial volume of the liquid in the bioreactor to ionising radiation, the first partial volume comprising at most 10% of the liquid volume in the bioreactor; b) mixing the first partial liquid volume, which has been exposed to ionising radiation, with the second partial liquid volume, which has not been exposed to ionising radiation, in the bioreactor; c) repeating method steps a) and b) multiple times, each partial volume of the liquid in the bioreactor being exposed to a total radiation dose of at most 50 Gy on statistical average.