An apparatus for culturing cells includes a bioreactor including a monolithic structured cell culture bed, which may be fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques, such as for example 3D printing. The bioreactor and monolithic structured cell culture bed may be formed as a unitary structure. The monolithic structured cell culture bed may include regions of varying porosity and/or surface treatments to achieve desired objectives. Related methods are also provided.

A technique for producing an artificial biointerface involves providing a patterned microfluidic chip having: a chamber divided by a fluid-permeable fencing into a central region and two flanking channels; and at least 3 fluid paths, each of the paths extending across one of the central region and the two flanking channels. A porous packing of rigid beads is placed within the central region to define a bead bed, the beads being of a size to be retained by the fencing. A biowall can be grown on at least one segment of the fencing separating the central region from one flanking channel, the biowall formed at least in part by live cells cultured on the beads. Beads may be modified, coated or functionalized to improve cell attachment and growth, and for reporting, or dosing particles or molecules can be conveniently added to the bead bed.

Methods for using vibration to harvest cells grown in 3D culture are provided. The methods entail the application of force cells attached to a 3D matrix of sufficient amplitude, frequency, and duration to detach cells from the matrix and to flush the detached cells out of the matrix material. An apparatus for performing the methods of the invention as provided.

Exemplary embodiments describe apparatuses and related processes for improving mixing and sheer in a fixed film reactor. One process can include recycling at least a portion of a biogas product through at least one sparger below a fixed film zone in the fixed film reactor at conditions sufficient for mixing and sheering the film from an internal structure within the fixed film zone. Often, a cross-sectional area of the fixed film zone fills at least about 90% of a cross-sectional area of the fixed film reactor.

The present invention provides an immobilized reaction device and a method for carrying out reaction by utilizing the immobilization technology. The immobilized reaction device includes a columnar reactor with an inlet and an outlet. The reactor is provided with an interior cavity which is defined by a top portion and a bottom portion opposite to each other, and a side wall connecting the top portion and the bottom portion.

A method for expanding circulating tumor cell in vitro includes preparing a cell culture tool having a multi-particle colloidal crystal layer, preparing a cell solution including circulating tumor cells, and contacting the cell solution with the multi-particle colloidal crystal layer, to attach the circulating tumor cells in the cell solution to the multi-particle colloidal crystal layer and rapidly expand by 20 times or more. The multi-particle colloidal crystal layer at least includes first particles having a particle size of 1000 to 5000 nm and second particles having a particle size of 20 to 400 nm. The culture medium in the cell solution at least includes a platelet lysate.

A packed-bed cell culture matrix and bioreactor system for culturing cells is provided. The system includes a cell culture vessel having an inlet, an outlet, and an interior reservoir fluidly connected to and disposed between the inlet and the outlet. A cell culture matrix is disposed in the reservoir, the cell culture matrix having a structurally defined substrate with a substrate material defining a plurality of pores, and the substrate material is for adhering cells thereto. A permeability zone is located in a portion of the cell culture matrix, the at least one permeability zone having a higher permeability than a standard permeability of the cell culture matrix outside of the permeability zone. The permeability zone has an opening in the substrate, where the opening is larger than a diameter of any of the plurality of pores.

An apparatus for processing cells is disclosed. In one embodiment, a fixed bed reactor is provided for the cells, the fixed bed reactor including a portion movable from a first position corresponding to a packed condition of the fixed bed to a second position corresponding to a depacked condition of the fixed bed. Movement of the partition facilitates harvesting of the cells there from. Related apparatus, kits, methods, and systems are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a solid state fermentation process for producing hydrogen, and to a bioreactor and solid support for use in the fermentation process.

A gel composition contains an amphiphilic block polymer having a hydrophilic block chain and a hydrophobic block chain. An organogel is obtained by mixing the amphiphilic block polymer with an organic solvent, and a xerogel is formed by removing the organic solvent from the organogel. A hydrogel is formed by mixing the xerogel with water or an aqueous solution. A hydrogel encapsulating cells to be cultured may be formed by mixing a xerogel with an aqueous solution containing the cells such as a cell culture solution.