In some aspects, the invention relates to automated cell culture incubators and their methods of use. In one aspect, the disclosure provides cell culture incubators having an airlock chamber, a storage chamber and/or an internal chamber. In some aspects, the disclosure provides methods for producing autologous mammalian cell cultures.

Cell culture apparatus for emulating gastrointestinal tract conditions and comprising at least two adjacent, microfluidic, cell cultivation channels separated by a permeable or semipermeable membrane, a first channel carrying gastrointestinal tract epithelial cells or tissues and a second channel carrying luminal and preferably mucosal microbiota, and wherein said second channel comprises one or more dwell chambers capable of providing a location for unattached luminal flora to reside away from any direct flow in said second channel, permits modelling of multiple sections of the gastrointestinal tract and control of retention times.

The invention relates to a method for a photochemical process, such as a photocatalytic and/or photosynthetic process, in particular for the culture and production or the hydroculture of microorganisms. A reaction medium (6) is conducted in a meandering manner in a reactor element (2) which is made of at least two upright and connected pipes (3) or chambers (13). Multiple reactor elements (2) are serially connected into a bio solar reactor (1), and a reaction medium (6) flow which is stress-free for the microorganisms is generated in the bio solar reactor (1) using hydrostatic pressure and level compensation. Inlet and outlet openings (4, 5) are arranged on the lower face (8) of each individual reactor element (2) on each of the outermost pipes (3) or chambers (13). The reaction medium (6) flows around all of the connections in the lower region, in particular the inlet opening (4), the outlet opening (5), and the introduction inlet (17). The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method and to a bio solar reactor.

The invention provides a structured cell growth matrix or assembly comprising a one or more spacer layers and one or more cell immobilization layers. The invention further provides a bioreactor comprising said matrix or assembly.

The invention discloses a bioreactor apparatus (1;101;201;301) for cultivation of cells comprising: a) a disposable bioreactor vessel (2) with one or more walls (3,4,5) defining an inner volume (6), at least one port (10) in a wall, wherein the disposable bioreactor vessel is positioned in a rigid support structure (8;108); and b) a heater (9;109;209;309), capable of heating an amount of culture medium to a target temperature in the range of 55-95° C., while the amount of culture medium is being confined in or conveyed to the inner volume.

A modular kit for integration and installation of one or more bioreactors for microalgae cultivation includes: —at least one bioreactor for microalgae cultivation, in the form of a vertically arranged transparent tubular column; —a supporting structure adapted to integrate and support the base of the at least one bioreactor, and also adapted to internally house a first connection to a system for loading and unloading a cultivation vector fluid into/from the at least one bioreactor, and a second connection to a system for supplying CO2-supplemented air into the at least one bioreactor; —multiple modules forming respective frames with internal empty spaces and adapted to be connected to one another to house, in the empty spaces, the at least one bioreactor; the multiple modules being also so shaped as to convey filtered light into the at least one bioreactor.

The apparatuses described herein relate to preparation of a meat product. Apparatuses, systems comprising the apparatuses, and methods of making and use the systems and apparatuses are described herein. These are useful for controlling one or more of growth on and separation of a meat product from an enclosed substrate. The apparatuses and systems are configured to receive fluid and grow the meat product and/or separate the meat product from the substrate in a scalable manner.

A syntrophic enrichment for enhanced digestion (SEED) system is presented, in which a retrofit addition to existing anaerobic digestion infrastructure provides improved digestion process rate and biogas quality. The system provides optimal niche environments for accelerating fermentative, syntrophic and methanogenic metabolisms to increase digestion system loading rates and enhance main digester microbiome. Prescribed media formulations, reactor integrations, and operational methods using various fixed and loose media enhance global digestion system performance. The retrofitted system enables existing plants to transition from an outdated solids-management model to one of valorized biomethane production.

Provided is a culture-medium-monitoring apparatus including: an optical measurement unit that includes an illumination light source and a collecting lens that radiate an illumination light onto a culturing liquid, a retroreflective member that has an array in which micro-reflective elements are arrayed, that is disposed so as to sandwich the vessel between the retroreflective member, and the illuminating light source and the collecting lens, and that reflects the illumination light passed through the culturing liquid in the vessel, and a light detector that detects an intensity of the illumination light passed through the culturing liquid in the vessel after being reflected by the retroreflective member; and a control portion that causes the intensity of the illumination light to be repeatedly detected at a prescribed timing, and that determines a state of the culturing liquid on the basis of a change over time in the intensity of the illumination light.

Bioreactors and methods of stimulating continuous growth of hairy root biomass in such bioreactors are provided.