Abstract: The disclosure provides, in various embodiments, systems, devices and methods relating to ex-vivo organ care. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to maintaining an organ ex-vivo at near physiologic conditions. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to testing properties of an ex-vivo heart or an organ care system, adjusting a property of the organ care system in response to certain results of the testing, and re-testing the ex-vivo heart or the organ care system. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to synchronizing at least one cycle of a pumping of a perfusion fluid with a state of the ex-vivo heart.

Abstract: A cell bag rotator is constructed to slowly agitate a plurality of cell bags by rotation along a rotation axis that is at least partially horizontal. The cell bag rotator comprises a plurality of plates to which a respective cell bag is attached. The cell bag rotator is suitable for mixing cells with particles for performing various types of subsequent cell therapy processes on the cells.

Abstract: A food recycler can include a housing defining an interior and an access opening to the interior. A mixing bin can be located within the interior and can have an inlet and an outlet. The food recycler can further include an output bin, the output bin having an inlet. The outlet of the mixing bin can couple or connect to the inlet of the output bin. The food recycler further has a transfer assembly for transferring food waste from the mixing bin to the output bin. The transfer assembly includes a chute mounted to the housing and operably coupling the first outlet of the mixing bin to the second inlet of the output bin, and at least one vibration damper positioned between the housing and the chute configured to allow flexibility of the chute to vibrate relative to the housing.

Abstract: A device for culturing anaerobic microorganisms is provided. The device comprises a body comprising a waterproof base, a waterproof coversheet attached to the base, and a growth compartment disposed between the base and the coversheet. The growth compartment has a perimeter and an opening that provides liquid access to the growth compartment. A portion of the perimeter is defined by a waterproof seal. The portion includes >50% of the perimeter. A dry cold water-soluble gelling agent is adhered to the base in the growth compartment. A dry first oxygen-scavenging reagent is disposed in the growth compartment.

Abstract: A system and method for studying cell injury mechanisms by applying biologically relevant mechanical impact to in vitro cell culture are disclosed. This approach is for maintaining consistent in vitro conditions during experiments, accommodating multiple cell populations, and monitoring each in real-time while achieving amplitude and time scale of input acceleration that mimic blunt injury cases. These multiplexed, environmental control capabilities enable characterizing the relationships between mechanical impact and cell injury in multivariate biological systems.

Abstract: System for gas treatment of cellular implants. The system enhances the viability and function of cellular implants, particularly those with high cellular density, for use in human or veterinary medicine. The system utilizes a miniaturized electrochemical gas generator subsystem that continuously supplies oxygen and/or hydrogen to cells within an implantable and immunoisolated cell containment subsystem to facilitate cell viability and function at high cellular density while minimizing overall implant size. The cell containment subsystem is equipped with features to allow gas delivery through porous tubing or gas-only permeable internal gas compartments within the implantable cell containment subsystem. Furthermore, the gas generator subsystem includes components that allow access to water for electrolysis while implanted, thereby promoting long-term implantability of the gas generator subsystem.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a microfluidic platforms or “chips” for testing and conducting experiments on the International Space Station (ISS). More specifically, microfluidic Brain-On-Chip, comprising neuronal and vascular endothelial cells, will be analyzed in both healthy and inflamed states to assess how the circumstances of space travel affect the human brain.

Abstract: A cell culture matrix is provided that has a substrate with a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a thickness separating the first side and the second side, and a plurality of openings formed in the substrate and passing through the thickness of the substrate. The plurality of openings allow flow of at least one of cell culture media, cells, or cell products through the thickness of the substrate, and provides a uniform, efficient, and scalable matrix for cell seeding, proliferation, and culturing. The substrate can be formed from a woven polymer mesh material that provides a high surface area to volume ratio for cells and good fluid flow through the matrix. Bioreactor systems incorporating the cell culture matrix and related methods are also provided.

Abstract: The microfluidic chip according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plate, a bridge channel formed in intaglio on one side of the plate, an inlet formed through the plate to communicate with one end of the bridge channel, an outlet formed through the plate to communicate with the other end of the bridge channel, and at least one well extending in an outward direction of the plate from the bridge channel to provide a space, wherein the bridge channel may be in the form of a curved line, a bent line, an arc, a circle, a spiral, or a polygon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microfluidic poration device having narrow channels slightly smaller than the width of a target cell, wherein the channels are lined with a plurality of nanospikes in a row extending down the middle of the channel, i.e. in a row parallel to the sides of the channel. In one embodiment, one channel may have 2 nanospikes (or 2 nanolancets). Thus, in particular embodiments, the invention provides microfluidic poration devices capable of simultaneously squeezing cells while piercing holes in their membranes for allowing foreign molecules into cells. The holes in porated cells spontaneously close after exiting the channels, thus entrapping the foreign molecules inside of the target cells. This porated cell population has approximately a 95% viability with greater than 50% containing at least one foreign molecule.

Abstract: A 4D-perfused tumoroid-on-a-chip platform used in personalized cancer treatment. The platform includes a plate with a plurality of bottomless wells that resides atop a microfluidic channel layer, which in turn resides atop a surface acoustic wave (SAW) based sensor layer that is capable of measuring potential pH values of fluids disposed within the platform. The microfluidic channel layer includes a plurality of bioreactors, with each bioreactor including an inlet well, a culture well, and an outlet well. The inlet well, culture well, and outlet well form a closed system via fluid conduits spanning from the inlet well to the culture well, as well as from the culture well to the outlet well. Due to the fluid flow from the plate to the chip, and from the inlet well to the outlet well on the chip through the culture well, target cell (tumoroid) growth is promoted within the culture well.

Abstract: A device is provided, comprising a cell trap comprising a plurality of micro-chambers, each micro-chamber configured to hold a cell. The device can further comprise a manipulator array comprising a plurality of manipulators, each manipulator in spatial communication with a respective micro-chamber, wherein each manipulator comprises a needle, a stage, and an actuator, wherein the needle is mounted to the stage, and the actuator is operable to apply force to the stage in a direction to move the needle to penetrate a cell in the respective micro-chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for culturing cells includes a bioreactor. The bioreactor may be modular and may include in a chamber a fixed bed, such as an unstructured or structured fixed bed (such as a spiral bed) for culturing cells, with a return column arranged centrally within the chamber. The modular bioreactor may include a plurality of structured fixed bed arranged in a stacked configuration. The modular bioreactor may include an outer casing forming a space for conditioning (e.g., insulating, heating, cooling) at least a chamber in which cells are cultured. The bioreactor may also include an impeller with radially curved blades, and may also suspend the impeller so that it may move from side-to-side and align with an external drive. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods involving interconnected plate components, including bases, lids and covers, interconnected in a manner such that a continuous strip of each component is prepared. The continuous strips may be stored as rollstock in a reel style. The physical properties of each continuous strip allow the base, lid and/or cover to include means for positive control. In one embodiment, the continuous strip of bases is advanced and processed through an automated system with positive control, and remains in the form of a continuous strip until agar in the bases is cured, at which time the bases are singulated. When a lid is applied to a base using methods described herein, an airtight seal is formed improving the quality of culture media used in testing.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide an organic matter processing apparatus and method for the use thereof to convert organic matter into a ground and desiccated product. This can be accomplished using a bucket assembly that can grind, paddle, and heat organic matter contained therein. An air treatment system is provided to treat the air interacting with the organic matter.

Abstract: A device for freezing adipose tissue comprises a first member and a second member which are mutually coupleable so as to obtain at least one closed configuration; the first member comprising at least one manual grip portion and at least one support portion to which the adipose tissue adheres; the second member comprising at least one housing wherein at least the support portion of the first member is insertable. The second member comprises at least one safety valve that comprises at least one separable portion adapted to detach, partially or completely, from the body of said second member in the case the pressure difference between the inside and the outside exceeds a predetermined value. The second member comprises retention means of the separable portion once it has detached. The detachment of the separable portion creates an opening in the second member, and a gap is defined for the discharge of the gases contained within the housing.

Abstract: Bioartificial ultrafiltration devices comprising a scaffold comprising a population of cells enclosed in a matrix and disposed adjacent a plurality of channels are provided. The population of cells provides molecules such as therapeutic molecules to a subject in need thereof and is supported by the nutrients filtered in an ultrafiltrate from the blood of the subject. The plurality of channels in the scaffold facilitate the transportation of the ultrafiltrate and exchange of molecules between the ultrafiltrate and the population of cells.

Abstract: A system for dissociating cells from a cell culture vessel. The system comprises an imaging system configured to image a plurality of cells in a cell culture vessel being dissociated from at least one surface of the cell culture vessel by at least one cell dissociation agent; and at least one controller coupled to the imaging system and configured to: control the imaging system to capture a sequence of images of at least some cells in the plurality of cells during dissociation; and identify when to neutralize the at least one cell dissociation agent using the sequence of images.

Abstract: A cell culture matrix is provided that has a substrate with a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a thickness separating the first side and the second side, and a plurality of openings formed in the substrate and passing through the thickness of the substrate. The plurality of openings allow flow of at least one of cell culture media, cells, or cell products through the thickness of the substrate, and provides a uniform, efficient, and scalable matrix for cell seeding, proliferation, and culturing. The substrate can be formed from a woven polymer mesh material that provides a high surface area to volume ratio for cells and good fluid flow through the matrix. Bioreactor systems incorporating the cell culture matrix and related methods are also provided.