Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
33.
Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc
.
2006; 1:632-5. Multiple
automated minibioreactor
system for multifunctional
screening in biotechnology.
Fontova A, Soley A, Gálvez J,
Sarró E, Lecina M, Rosell J, Riu P,
Cairó J, Gòdia F, Bragós R.
Electronic Engineering Dept.,
Technical University of
Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.
The current techniques applied in biotechnology
allow to obtain many types of molecules that must be
tested on cell cultures (high-throughput screening
HTS). Although such tests are usually carried out
automatically on mini- or microwell plates, the
procedures in the preindustrial stage are performed
almost manually on higher-volume recipients known
as bioreactors. The growth conditions in both stages
are completely different. The screening system
presented in this work is based on the multiwell test
plates philosophy, a disposable multiple
minibioreactor that allows reproduction of industrial
bioreactor culture conditions: aeration, stirring,
temperature, O
2
, pH, and visible-range optical
absorbance measurements. It is possible to reproduce
the growth conditions for both suspended and
adherent animal cell types using 1 to 10 mL vol.
bioreactors. In the case of bacteria or yeast, it is not
possible to achieve a high biomass concentration,
due to the reduced head volume air supply.
