Aspects of the disclosure relate to rotating bioreactors and articles and methods that are useful for adapting a rotating bioreactor for use with tissues or scaffolds of different sizes. In some embodiments, bioreactors comprising a reservoir and an arbor assembly are provided herein, in which the arbor assembly comprises a rotatable support to which a tissue or tissue scaffold can be attached.

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.

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 first adhesive composition adhered to a portion of the first major surface. A number of particles of a substantially dry first microbial growth nutrient composition are distributed in the first adhesive composition, and a cold-water-soluble first hydrogel-forming composition is 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, further comprising a porous membrane filter are also provided. Methods for detecting and enumerating at least one microorganism in a sample using the devices are additionally provided.

Reader and plate methods, operations, and systems for observing a biological sample are shown and described. In one embodiment, a reader device includes selecting a plate type between at least two plate type selections on a user interface. One embodiment includes aligning a peel plate within a tray holder nest to define a semi-fixed processing position. One embodiment includes transporting a peel plate from a loading position into a focal alignment with an imaging device for monitoring biological growth, when present.

A microalgae culturing method by using a paper-based culture apparatus, includes: 1) designing the shape of a culture apparatus as a rectangle with circles distributed in its middle; 2) spraying and printing wax on a piece of filter paper; 3) heating such that the wax penetrates through the filter paper to obtain a paper culture apparatus, where a surface of the filter paper on which the wax is sprayed and printed is called a surface A while the other surface thereof is called a surface B; and 4) dropping a first agar aqueous solution onto the circles on the surface B of the paper culture apparatus obtained in the step 3), and dropping a second agar aqueous solution added with microalgae onto the surface A of the paper culture apparatus obtained in the step 3).

A meniscus reducing member for use in a vessel for containing a liquid may include a physical surface feature overlying at least a portion of an interior surface of the vessel. The physical surface feature may have first and second inner surfaces that are generally parallel and at least a third surface extending between the first and second surfaces. The first inner surface, second inner surface and third surfaces may be configured to physically alter a receding contact angle between the liquid and the physical surface feature. A coating material may be applied to at least one of the surfaces of the physical surface feature to chemically alter the receding contact angle between the liquid and the coated surface whereby the receding contact angle formed between the liquid and the meniscus reducing member is between about 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

A storage assembly for storing a plurality of specimens includes a frame, a plurality of modular storage units for perfusion and/or incubation of one or more specimens removably coupled to the frame, a sample transfer apparatus configured to retrieve a specimen holder from a chosen modular storage unit of the plurality of modular storage units, and a control unit communicatively coupled to the sample transfer apparatus. The control unit is configured to cause the sample transfer apparatus to retrieve a specimen from a modular storage unit of the plurality of modular storage units and deliver the specimen to a delivery position.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for tissue processing and analysis. Tissue chambers are configured to allow single-container chemical processing, imaging, and wax embedding of tissue samples in a single container without manipulation between steps. Tissue chambers with features to support the tissue sample and allow fluid flow between the tissue sample and the tissue chamber surface are disclosed. The features may be index matched to sample structures of interest or dissolvable in clearing solution to allow for in-chamber imaging with minimal distortion. Specialized tissue processing and wax removal apparatuses are also disclosed including for use with tissue chambers having frangible portions to permit ease of wax removal.

A system (100, 200, 400, 700) and method for growing biomass, wherein the system comprises at least one growing unit (110, 210, 410, 710) having a respective controllable environment and comprising a first area (120, 220, 420, 720) and a second area (130, 230, 430, 730). The system further comprises at least one plate-grid device (140, 240, 441, 442, 443, 500, 740) arranged within said at least one growing unit in turn comprising at least one plate (225, 325, 510) elevated from at least one grid (226, 326, 530, 631, 632, 633, 634) wherein the at least one plate and the at least one grid are independently movable from one another between the first area and the second area. Additionally, the system comprises a decontamination device (160, 260, 461, 462) arranged within the second area and configured to decontaminate, in the second area, one or more of the at least one plate and/or at least one grid of the at least one plate-grid device. Furthermore, the at least one plate and at least one grid of each at least one plate-grid device are movable independently from the at least one plate and at least one grid of the other plate grid devices between a loading position (171, 471, 771), at which the at least one plate is free to receive a growth medium for growing biomass, and a discharging position (172, 472, 772), within the first area. The system further comprises at least one transporting mechanism (150, 250, 450, 750) configured to transport grown biomass discharged from the at least one plate-grid device at the discharging position, to a third area arranged outside of the at least one growing unit.

A medium changing device includes a lid disposed at a position where two or more regions in which a medium may be stored are covered therewith, the regions being disposed adjacent to each other and being open upward; one or more flow-path members each disposed so as to penetrate the lid, and each disposed at a position where one of the regions is bridged to another therewith when the lid is disposed at the position where the regions are covered; and a pump disposed on the other side of the lid and acting on the intermediate sections of the flow-path members, exposed on the other side, so as to cause the medium to flow from the opening at one end toward the opening at the other end of each of the flow-path members.