Devices for microbial detection of microorganisms are provided including a body member including a substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface. The device further includes a substantially dry, first microbial growth nutrient composition disposed on a portion of the first major surface, a first adhesive composition adhered to the first microbial growth nutrient composition, and a cold-water-soluble first hydrogel-forming composition adhered to the first adhesive composition. The device also includes a cover sheet attached to the body member, where the cover sheet includes a first major surface facing the body member. Devices including a water-proof pouch are also provided. Methods for detecting and enumerating at least one microorganism in a sample are additionally provided, using the devices.

A picktool manipulator device collects a specimen from a culture medium. In a first mode of operation, a picktool is allowed to move in an axial direction relative to support structure of the device. A detector may generate a signal in response to movement of the body in the axial direction so as to determine a height at which the picktool contacts the medium. The device may operate in the first mode when collecting a specimen from a culture medium. A second mode of operation constrains or precludes axial movement of the picktool. In some cases, the device may operate in the second mode when receiving a new picktool or discarding a used picktool.

A flocked swab for collection and transfer of samples of biological material, in which the swab comprises a support body having an elongate conformation and having a first end portion and a gripping portion, and a flocked layer defined by a plurality of fibres attached and arranged on the first portion of the support body by flocking, so as to realize a flocked collecting portion aimed at absorbing a quantity of a sample of biological material, the first portion of the support body being provided with a first weakening portion aimed at enabling and facilitating a selective breakage of the swab at the first portion and a separation of a first part of the flocked collecting portion from a second part of the flocked collecting portion and from the gripping portion.

Systems and methods are disclosed for processes related to cell culture and generation. A method of manufacturing gene-edited cells comprises seeding a plurality of gene-edited cells into a cell culture container; culturing, by a cell culture system, the plurality of gene-edited cells into a plurality of gene-edited cell colonies; clonalizing, by the cell culture system, the plurality of gene-edited cell colonies by iterative spatially-selective removal of one or more portions from the plurality of gene-edited cell colonies as the colonies proliferate; tracking, by the cell culture system, one or more characteristics of the plurality of gene-edited clonal cell colonies; maintaining, by the cell culture system, a cell density of the plurality of gene-edited clonal cell colonies based on the tracked characteristics; selecting, by the cell culture system, a first gene-edited clonal cell colony from the plurality of gene-edited clonal cell colonies; removing, by the cell culture system, the plurality of gene-edited clonal cell colonies from the cell culture container except for the first gene-edited clonal cell colony; and expanding, by the cell culture system, the first gene-edited clonal cell colony.

Systems and methods are disclosed for processes related to cell culture and generation. A system for culturing cells a cell culture container comprises a first surface, the first surface being configured for a plurality of cell colonies to continuously adhere thereto throughout a cell culture process; an image sensor configured to capture one or more time-series images of the plurality of cell colonies during the cell culture process; a cell removal tool configured to remove one or more cells from the first surface of the cell culture container during the cell culture process; and a computing subsystem configured to: track one or more characteristics of the plurality of cell colonies based on the one or more time-series images, and control the cell removal tool to remove cells based on the one or more characteristics.

Systems and methods are disclosed for processes related to cell culture and generation. A system for culturing cells comprises a cell culture container comprising a first surface, the first surface being configured for one or more cell colonies to adhere thereto; an image sensor configured to capture one or more time-series images of a first cell colony in the one or more cell colonies; a computing subsystem configured to iteratively manage a surface area of the first cell colony according to a method comprising: calculating the surface area of the first cell colony as the first cell colony proliferates, selecting a portion of the first cell colony to remove to reduce the surface area of the first cell colony when its surface area is above a predetermined threshold, and removing, using a cell removal tool, the selected portion of the first cell colony from the first surface.

Provided herein are methods and kits for collecting and/or detecting biological materials from the skin of subjects. Methods and kits for determining a biological profile of a target skin site of subjects are also provided herein.

A separation container for extracting a portion of a sample for use or testing and method for preparing samples for downstream use or testing are provided. The separation container may include a body defining an internal chamber. The body may define an opening, and the body may be configured to receive the sample within the internal chamber. The separation container may further include a seal disposed across the opening, such that the seal may be configured to seal the opening of the body, and a plunger movably disposed at least partially inside the internal chamber. The plunger may be configured to be actuated to open the seal and express the portion of the sample.

Systems and methods are disclosed for processes related to cell culture and generation. A system for culturing cells comprises a cell culture container comprises a closed cell culture chamber enclosing a fluid media and a first surface configured for a cell culture to adhere thereto; a cell removal tool configured to selectively remove one or more cells from the first surface of the cell culture container; and a controller configured to iteratively remove one or more cells using the cell removal tool and thereby maintain the cell culture below a threshold density throughout a cell culture process, wherein the cell culture chamber is configured to seal during the cell culture process.

High-throughput co-culture models, for example, relevant to the cell barrier interface, are disclosed that employ under-side cell seeding in a miniaturized and automated system and process. The seeding method, which can be implemented in a scalable and low-cost manner, can eliminate the need for an inversion process by adjusting/optimizing the density of the cell suspension medium to float cells of interest so they can attach under a membrane.