A pre-programmed non-feedback continuous feeding method based on mass balance of the substrate in the bioreactor for use in culture growth and maintenance is provided. The disclosed method does not rely on instrument, probe or operator feedback. The method provides an efficient and effective alternative to bolus feeding.

Methods and devices to screen test compounds, e.g., study metabolism of test compounds, e.g., a pro-drug, by one cell, e.g., a hepatocyte, and the effect of metabolism of the test compound by the first cell on a second cell, e.g., a cancer cell, are described.

A cell culture control system includes a controller configured to control parameters of a culture fluid which exists in a processor in accordance with a control value which is preliminarily set, a generator configured to generate time-series data by using a concentration value of the metabolic substances in the culture fluid, the concentration value of the metabolic substances being detected by a sensor, an extractor configured to extract a characteristic point of the time-series data generated by the generator, and a control value setter configured to change the control value in accordance with the characteristic point extracted by the extractor.

Cell monitoring apparatus includes sensing chip and channel module. Sensing chip includes channel region, source and drain regions, and sensing film. The channel region includes first semiconductor material. The source and drain regions are disposed at opposite sides of the channel region, and include a second semiconductor material. Sensing film is disposed on the channel region at a sensing surface of the sensing chip. Channel module is disposed on the sensing surface of sensing chip. A microfluidic channel is formed between the sensing surface of the sensing chip and a proximal surface of the channel module. The microfluidic channel includes a culture chamber and a micro-well. The culture chamber is concave into the proximal surface of the channel module, and overlies the channel region. The micro-well is concave into a side of the culture chamber, and directly faces the sensing film.

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).

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a cell analysis system is described. The cell analysis system includes a substrate. Formed in the substrate is a feedback-controlled lysis system to rupture a cell membrane. The feed-back-controlled lysis system includes at least one lysing chamber to receive a single cell to be lysed. A lysing element of the feedback-controlled lysis system agitates the single cell and a sensor detects a state within the lysing chamber. The cell analysis system also includes a microfluidic channel formed in the substrate to 1) serially feed individual cells from a volume of cells to the feedback-controlled lysis system and 2) deliver a lysate of a ruptured cell to at least one analysis chamber. The cell analysis system also includes at least one analysis chamber formed in the substrate to process the lysate and a controller to determine when a cell membrane has ruptured.

A method of controlling a bioreactor system includes providing a cell culture in a bioreactor, wherein conditions in the bioreactor enable the cell culture to produce a protein of interest (POI), measuring process parameters (PPs) of the culture within the bioreactor by RAMAN, wherein the process parameters are selected from the group consisting of nutrient concentration, viable cell concentration, and protein attributes, measuring a predetermined weight of the bioreactor with the cell culture, removing cell-free spent media from the cell culture using a first output conduit at a first specified rate, removing cells from the cell culture using a second output conduit at a second specified rate, and introducing one or both of fresh media or nutrients into the cell culture using an input conduit at a third specified rate.

The present invention provides a microfluidic devices and methods of use thereof for the concentration and capture of cells. A pulsed non Faradaic electric field is applied relative to a sample under laminar flow, which results to the concentration and capture of charged analyte. Advantageously, pulse timing is selected to avoid problems associated with ionic screening within the channel. At least one of the electrodes within the channel is coated with an insulating layer to prevent a Faradaic current from flowing in the channel. Under pulsed application of a unipolar voltage to the electrodes, charged analyte within the sample is moved towards one of the electrodes via a transient electrophoretic force.

An extra-capillary fluid cycling unit for maintaining and cycling fluid volumes in a cell culture chamber includes a housing and a first flexible reservoir extra-capillary fluid reservoir disposed in the housing. The extra-capillary fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with a cell culture chamber. A second flexible reservoir is also located in the housing, the second flexible reservoir being in fluid communication with a pressure source. A sensor plate is movably disposed in the housing between the extra-capillary reservoir and the second reservoir, wherein the second reservoir is pressurized to move the sensor plate in relation to the extra-capillary reservoir to cause fluid cycling and maintain fluid volumes in the cell growth chamber.

A technique for learning and steering evolutionary dynamics may include initializing a bioreactor including a population of evolving organisms; determining selection pressures; (a) applying the selection pressures to the population; (b) determining the population state and storing it in a population dataset; (c) detecting whether the population has reached a stable state; (d) if the population has reached the stable state: obtaining data representing the stable state, redetermining the selection pressures based on a selection pressure policy, and storing the data and the redetermined selection pressures in a stable state dataset; (e) determining whether one or more stopping criteria have been met; and repeating steps (a)-(e) until at least one of the stopping criteria is met.