At least one tool removably mountable on a cell incubator mandrel or a cell incubator having at least one mandrel having an end portion, the at least one mandrel mounted on a movable transport for moving the at least one mandrel and at the least one tool removably mountable on the end portion of the at least one mandrel. The at least one tool is preferably electrically powered and controllable by signals applied to the at least one tool to perform at least one operation with respect to the incubation of cells.

Systems and apparatuses for producing microbe-based compositions that can be used in the oil and gas industry, environmental cleanup, as well as for other applications are provided. More specifically, apparatuses comprising two vessels for use in large-scale production of sophorolipids are provided. An apparatus can include a fermentation vessel and a collector vessel connected directly to the fermentation vessel.

A droplet forming device is provided. The droplet forming device includes a liquid holder configured to hold a liquid, a film having a discharge hole, two or more vibration generators configured to vibrate the film, and a driver configured to apply a driving signal to the vibration generators. One or more of the vibration generators are disposed in each region on the film where a polarity of bending moment differs.

An aggregated cell mass dispersing device (100) of the present invention includes: a storage container (101) storing a liquid (L) containing an aggregated cell mass; a pipette (102) whose tip is pushed against an inner bottom surface (101a) of the storage container; and an elastic body (103) supporting an outer bottom surface of the storage container.

Systems, devices, and methods for producing a tissue specimen and performing subsequent biomechanical testing thereof to quantify various biological/physiological properties and characteristics. The system may include a bioreactor device for producing the tissue specimen which includes a packaged/sealed seeding cup containing a scaffold in a sterile environment amenable to seeding with cells. After seeding, the cup may be stored in a standard laboratory culture tray for incubation. The produced tissue specimen may next be transferred to a testing instrument under control of a microcontroller which automatically performs a series of tests on the tissue and generates testing data communicated to an external electronic device which can operably interact with and control operation in part of the testing instrument via software. Tissue integrity in the instrument may be maintained by sterile fluid circulation and heating systems. The system advantageously provides efficient and reproducible tissue growth and analysis.

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for sampling and/or controlling the productivity of a bioreactor. The system and methods can include a vessel capable of providing an environment suitable for containing whole broth that can produce the bioproduct, wherein the whole broth contains media and at least one undissolved species, an automated sampling system, a first analytical instrument, and a control system.

The invention concerns a filtration assembly (1) for microbiological testing and a method of using the filtration assembly for that purpose. The filtration assembly (1) comprises a ring-like membrane support (10) holding a filtration membrane (11), a cylindrical reservoir (20) of which opposite axial ends have openings and one axial opening is removably and fluid-tightly attachable to the membrane support (10) to define a sample volume adjacent to the filtration membrane (11) on one axial side of the membrane support (10); and a drain member (30) removably and fluid tightly attachable to the membrane support (10) to define a drain channel space adjacent to the filtration membrane (11) on an opposite axial side of the membrane support (10).

Provided herein are methods, systems, and devices for detecting and/or identifying one or more specific microorganisms in a culture sample. Indicator particles, such as surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-active nanoparticles, each having associated therewith one or more specific binding members having an affinity for the one or more microorganisms of interest, can form a complex with specific microorganisms in the culture sample. Further, agitating magnetic capture particles also having associated therewith one or more specific binding members having an affinity for the one or more microorganisms of interest can be used to capture the microorganism-indicator particle complex and concentrate the complex in a localized area of an assay vessel for subsequent detection and identification. The complex can be dispersed, pelleted, and redispersed so that the culture sample can be retested a number of times during incubation so as to allow for real-time monitoring of the culture sample.

Delivering a payload across a plasma membrane of a cell includes providing a population of cells and contacting the population of cells with a volume of an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution includes the payload and alcohol content greater than 5 percent concentration. The volume of the aqueous solution may be a function of exposed surface area of the population of cells, or may be a function of a number of cells in the population of cells. Related compositions, apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

Delivering a payload across a plasma membrane of a cell includes providing a population of cells and contacting the population of cells with a volume of an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution includes the payload and alcohol content greater than 5 percent concentration. The volume of the aqueous solution may be a function of exposed surface area of the population of cells, or may be a function of a number of cells in the population of cells. Related compositions, apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.