A culture apparatus includes a culture unit which cultures cells under a predetermined culture environment, and an imaging unit which captures an inspection image showing a state of a culture container which holds the cells or a state of the cells, further includes a carrying unit and a determining unit. The carrying unit delivers the culture container between at least one peripheral device to be used in a culture operation of the cells and the culture apparatus. The determining unit detects completion of the culture operation of the peripheral device, controls the imaging unit to capture the inspection image, and analyzes the inspection image to determine whether or not the culture operation by the peripheral device is appropriate.

A cell culture apparatus is provided which can continuously and accurately measure turbidity of a cell culture solution and culture a cell, without inserting a turbidity sensor from outside into a sterile bag. The cell culture apparatus includes: a flexible and transparent sterile bag that is installed at a prescribed position in the cell culture apparatus and in which a cell contained in a cell culture solution is cultured; and a turbidity sensor that includes a light emitter which emits light to the cell culture solution in the sterile bag via a portion of the sterile bag, a light receiver which receives the light transmitted through the cell culture solution via another portion of the sterile bag, and that is configured to place the light emitter, the portion of the sterile bag, another portion of the sterile bag, and the light receiver, optically on a same straight line.

A bioprocessing system (100, 200) including a storage unit (102, 202) for storing a feed fluid (103, 203), a filter (106, 206) coupled to the storage unit (102, 202) via a feed path (104, 204), and a feed pump (114, 212) coupled to the feed path (104, 204). The bioprocessing system (100, 200) further includes a collection unit (102, 216) coupled to the filter (106, 206) via a downstream path (118, 218) and a turbidity sensor (134, 224) coupled to the downstream path (118, 218). Furthermore, the bioprocessing system (100, 200) includes a processing unit (136, 226) configured to receive an output from the turbidity sensor (134, 224) and determine a concentration of a product in a filtration fluid (121, 222) based on the output. The processing unit (136, 226) is further configured to monitor an operating condition of the filter (106, 206) on-line based on concentration of the product.

Devices for the propagation or storage of microorganisms are provided including a first layer that has a first portion of a surface of the first layer, to which a first water-swellable gelling agent comprising a first clay is affixed. The devices further include a second layer that is separable from the first layer and has a first portion of a surface of the second layer, to which a second water-swellable gelling agent is affixed. Methods for detecting and enumerating at least one microorganism in a sample are provided. The methods include providing a device, separating the first layer from the second layer, adding an aliquot of a sample containing at least one microorganism onto the first or second water-swellable gelling agent to form an inoculated device, laminating the first layer back to the second layer, and incubating the inoculated device. Kits and methods of making the devices are also provided.

A probe assembly and a method of manufacturing a probe assembly. In one aspect there is a method of manufacturing a probe assembly comprising providing an electrode carrier carrying a plurality of electrodes, the electrode carrier comprising a top wherein the plurality of electrodes are exposed relative to the top and a bottom having a plurality of electrical contacts in electrical communication with the plurality of electrodes respectively; moulding a body around the electrode carrier to retain the electrode carrier whilst leaving the plurality of electrodes exposed. The invention also extends to a biomass monitoring system comprising a flexible enclosure including a probe assembly and support arrangement for receipt of the probe assembly in an engaged configuration.

It is possible to observe imaging subjects, such as cells or the like, without causing an increase in the apparatus size. Provided is an observation apparatus including: a flat-plate-like stage formed of an optically transparent material on which a container accommodating a sample is placed; a deflecting member that is disposed below the stage and that deflects light coming from the sample on the stage into a substantially horizontal direction; an objective lens that collects the light deflected by the deflecting member; and an image-acquisition device that captures the light collected by the objective lens.

The behavior and/or internal activities of a microorganism can be simulated using a model of the microorganism. Such simulations can be used to determine the efficacy of treatments, disinfectants, antibiotics, chemotherapies, or other methods of interacting with the microorganism, or to provide some other information about the microorganism. Systems and methods are provided herein for fitting, refining, or otherwise improving such models in an automated fashion. Such systems and methods include performing whole-cell experiments to determine a correspondence between the predictions of such models and the actual behavior of samples of the microorganism. Such systems and methods also include, based on such determined correspondences, directly assessing determined discrete sets of properties of the microorganism and/or of constituents of the microorganism and updating parameters of the model corresponding to the properties of the discrete set such that the overall accuracy of the model is improved.

An autologous cell concentrating system and method are disclosed. The system has a blood separation component, a first vessel, a second vessel, a first valve, a second valve, and a concentration and flow logic and control component. The concentration and flow logic and control component is configured to: determine a first volume of a target cell-poor fraction in the first vessel to mix with a target cell-rich fraction in the second vessel in order to form a target cell-rich concentrate having a concentration of target cells that is within a target concentration range; and control the second valve to transfer the first volume of the target cell-rich fraction from the first vessel to the second vessel to form the target cell-rich concentrate. The target concentration range is between 1.0 and 1.5×106 target cells/μL.

Disclosed herein is a bioreactor system that allows active perfusive flow through a porous support medium enabling 3D growth of biological samples. In some embodiments, the system comprises a sample well filled with a three-dimensional (3D) cell growth medium. The system can further comprise a liquid medium reservoir fluidly connected to the sample well by a first filter material. The system can further comprises a medium collection chamber fluidly connected to the sample well by a second filter material. In some embodiments, application of negative gage pressure to the medium collection chamber or positive pressure to the liquid medium reservoir draws fluid from the liquid medium reservoir, through the first filter material, into the sample well where it permeates the three-dimensional cell growth medium, through the second filter material, and finally into the medium collection chamber.

An imaging system for imaging live biological systems comprises a detector array (12a) having an optical axis (X-X) and arranged to detect light and output detector signals, a support (10) arranged so support a biological system on the optical axis, an illuminating light source (16) located off the optical axis and arranged to direct at least partially-coherent light towards the biological system, and processing means (18) arranged to receive the detector signals and generate image data.