A Disposable Bioprocess System including a Single-Use-Bioreactor, a Single-Use-Pump and a single-use micro-organism retention filter. Combined most suitable for cultivation of suspended micro-organisms in a liquid media at high micro-organism concentration in a perfusion mode continuous process for expression of biological material. The inlet port of the liquid Single-Use-Pump connects via a valve to the broth reservoir of the Single-Use-Bioreactor through a liquid conveying port. The outlet port of the liquid pumping Single-Use-Pump connects via a valve to a micro-organism retention filter. And a method for operating said sterile Disposable Bioprocess System in perfusion mode for continuously processing.

The disclosure relates to bioreactors, for example for biological treatment and, more specifically to bioreactor insert apparatus including biofilms and related methods. The bioreactor insert apparatus provides a means for circulation of reaction medium within the bioreactor, a biofilm support, and biological treatment of an inlet feed to the reactor/insert apparatus. The bioreactor insert apparatus has a high relative surface area for biofilm attachment and is capable of generating complex flow patterns and increasing treatment efficiency/biological conversion activity in a biologically-active reactor. The high surface area structure incorporates multiple biofilm support structures such as meshes at inlet and outlet portions of the structure. The biofilm support structures and biofilms thereon can increase overall reaction rate of the bioreactor and/or perform some solid/liquid separation in the treatment of the wastewater or other influent.

The present invention provides for a fully integrated microfluidic system capable of producing single-dose amounts of biotherapeutics at the point-of-care wherein protein production, purification and product harvest are all integrated as a single microfluidic device which is portable and capable of continuous-flow production of biotherapeutics at the microscale using a cell-free reaction system.

A method of improving volumetric productivity from a cell culture includes filtering a cell culture through an ultrafilter or a microfilter operating in tangential flow filtration mode or alternating flow filtration mode, and filtering the cell culture concurrently or intermittently through a tangential flow depth filtration system to remove cellular debris and/or to harvest cell product. A system for filtering biological materials includes a primary filtration system, and a secondary filtration system, where the secondary filtration system comprises a tangential flow depth filtration filter.

The invention relates to a method for culturing and detecting microorganisms, comprising the steps of providing a liquid sample (S) in a barrel (10) of a device (1) for culturing and detecting microorganisms, passing the liquid sample (S) through a first filtering membrane (40) such that microorganisms contained in the liquid sample (S) are retained at a first side (41) of the first filtering membrane (40), contacting said first side (41) with a first growth medium (210) capable of supporting growth of microorganisms, incubating the first filtering membrane (40) and the first growth medium (210) at an incubation temperature, arranging a sensing surface (51) of a gas sensor (50) in fluid connection with a second side (42) of the first filtering membrane (40), detecting a metabolic gas released by the microorganisms by means of the gas sensor (50). The invention further relates to a device (1) for culturing and detecting microorganisms, comprising a barrel (10) enclosing a barrel compartment (13) for receiving a liquid sample (S), a first piston (20) which (20) is movable in said barrel (10), wherein said barrel compartment (13) is configured to be brought in fluid communication via a first filtering membrane (40) with a sensing surface (51) of a gas sensor (50) configured to detect a metabolic gas released by microorganisms, wherein the first filtering membrane (40) is configured to retain microorganisms contained in the liquid sample (S) at the first side (41) of the first filtering membrane (40). Furthermore, a sensor cartridge (4) and a kit of parts comprising the device (1) are provided.

A cell culture device is provided. A cell culture device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a main body comprising a culture space having one surface that is open; and a surface-modified sheet-type culture plate which is fixed to the main body to cover the opened one surface of the culture space, and thus forms a culture surface on which cells are cultured, and which forms the culture surface so that the cells can be attached to the culture surface.

According to one broad aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from organic waste. The method comprises homogenizing organic waste to obtain a feedstock that has 1:1 to 3:1 (w/w) water to organic waste ratio. The feedstock is inoculated with an inoculum of acidogenic fermentative bacteria in order to obtain an inoculated feedstock. The inoculated feedstock is incubated for 5 to 10 days, 3 to 10 days, optionally 7 days, optionally 3 days, to obtain a fermentation broth. The fermentation broth comprises volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and undigested organic waste. The fermentation broth is filtered with a filter with a pore size ranging from 0.2 μm to 500,000 NMWC to remove the acidogenic fermentative bacteria and undigested organic waste, to obtain a clarified broth comprising concentrated VFAs. The clarified broth and high-PHA producing bacteria are incubated to produce intracellular PHA granules in the high-PHA producing bacteria. PHA polymers are extracted from the intracellular PHA granules.

Vessel configured to facilitate concentration of a product in a solution. The vessel may include outlet ports to deliver the solution to a processing system (such as a filtration system), and inlet ports. The inlet ports may be at progressively lower levels for return of fluid thereto reduced in volume as a result of filtration thereof. A smaller volume sump may be provided below a main tank of the vessel to facilitate concentration of the solution. The sump may include ridges facilitating collection of the product of interest from the solution, and/or reinforcing the sump walls, and optionally forming a vortex breaker. A spray ball may be provided to spray materials, such as buffer solution, into the vessel. The spray ball may direct materials to facilitate retrieval of product from the vessel. One or more components of the vessel may be advantageously formed of disposable material for single use thereof.

The present invention relates to a particulate material separation assembly. It comprises a filtration membrane and an antifouling device. The antifouling device comprises one or more magnets and a plurality of magnetisable particles. The one or more magnets cause the plurality of magnetisable particles to self-assemble into dynamic bristles, thereby forming a brush. The particulate material separation assembly is particularly useful in the context of micro algae harvesting.

A disposable cell enrichment kit includes a crossflow filtration device configured to be disposed along a main loop pathway and to receive a process volume containing a biological sample and utilize crossflow filtration, via a micro-porous membrane, to retain a specific cell population in a retentate from the process volume and to remove a permeate including certain biological components from the process volume. The crossflow filtration device includes a laminated filtration unit that includes the micro-porous membrane, a first mating portion, a second mating portion, and a membrane support. The membrane support includes a first plurality of structural features that define a first plurality of openings, wherein the first plurality of structural features are coupled to the micro-porous membrane and provide support to the micro-porous membrane, and the first plurality of openings allow the permeate to flow through them after crossing the micro-porous membrane.