A gas exhaust filter device for a bioreactor with reduced blockage by condensed liquid is disclosed, which comprises a housing with a filter medium, a gas inlet and a gas outlet and also further comprises a plurality of ribs extending from at least one inner wall of the housing in a region between the gas inlet and the filter medium.

The present invention is a cell cultivating vessel or device, such as a single or multitier flask, including a cover having a top plate, a side wall and a resealable port; an intermediate tray for receiving cells and cell culture media, having a bottom plate, a side wall, and a gap region formed between an interior upwardly angled lip located on an interior portion of the intermediate tray bottom plate and an adjacent outwardly angled side wall portion of the intermediate tray bottom plate, wherein the lip has a outwardly swooping curvilinear edge feature; and a base tray for receiving the cells and cell culture media, including a bottom plate and a side wall. The intermediate tray is positioned between the cover and the base tray, such that the gap region of the intermediate tray bottom plate is in alignment with the port located on the cover, resulting in the port, the intermediate tray and the base tray in fluid communication with one another which provides direct access, such as by a user to remove and/or add cells, cell media, and nutrients located on each of the intermediate and/or the base trays. Alternatively, the cell cultivating flask includes a plurality of intermediate trays stacked on top of one another and the gap regions of each intermediate tray are in alignment with each other and with the port on the cover.

A controlled environment enclosure comprises a robotic arm manipulation system used to protect and unprotect a fluid path and a swab within the controlled environment enclosure. The apparatus allows the fluid path to be protected against dangerous decontamination vapors and chemicals before the controlled environment enclosure is decontaminated. The apparatus allows the fluid path to be unprotected without the use of gloves or other means that degrade the integrity of the controlled environment enclosure when decontamination is completed. The apparatus and method allow for the protecting, unprotecting and decontaminating sequences to be automated. In some embodiments the fluid path comprises a fill needle that can removably and aseptically be sealed with a disposable monolithic injection moulded polymeric fill needle sheath. The apparatus and method further allow for the use of a swab disposed in a swab holder that is aseptically and removably sealable to a swab cap to protect the swab against decontamination vapors.

A connection mechanism for a suction device for vacuum membrane filtration applications, includes a support for receiving a membrane filter or a filtration base, a cavity formed below the membrane filter or the filtration base, a suction duct which opens centrally into the cavity, and a ventilation duct which opens laterally into the cavity. The connection mechanism further includes a closing element which can be moved into several switching positions and which can block or unblock both the suction duct and the ventilation duct depending on the switching positions.

Systems and methods for the washing and processing of biological fluid/biological cells are disclosed. The systems and methods utilize a disposable fluid circuit including a spinning membrane separation device to wash the biological cells.

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).

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.

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.

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.

A method for removing exhaust gas from a bioreactor (3) and a bioreactor system. The method comprises the steps of: —providing at least one exhaust filter (15; 115a, 115b) connected to an outlet (7) of the bioreactor (3) for transferring exhaust gas out from the bioreactor; —increasing a pressure at an inlet side (25) of the at least one exhaust filter (15; 115a, 115b) in a connection (16) between the bioreactor (3) and the at least one exhaust filter (15; 115a, 115b) or decreasing a pressure at an outlet side (23) of the at least one exhaust filter (15; 115a, 115b).