Automated Device for High Throughput Cell Cryopreservation

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The cultured cell has emerged as a critical link in the translation of research in the various fields of biotechnology and biomedicine. An unprecedented increase in the demand for cultured cell products is now drivenby the growth in biopharmaceuticals, cancer research, cell and gene therapy and stem cell research. These industries now rely on dated, low-volume, non-standardized technologies to bank cells in the daily production of their critical cellular tool. CPSI Biotech is developing an innovative controlled rate freezing device, RapidCP , designed to rapidly freeze biological samples while maintaining sample quality and functionality. This Phase 1 proposal focuses on the development of an innovative research/ cellprocessing device, RapidCP - a device designed to enable the high throughput freezing of samples for application in the bioprocessing, cell therapy, drug discovery, and basic sciences arena. Further, the design of the technology will allow for multiple independent cooling blocks thereby allowing for continuous processing of manageable lot sizes. This will reduce sample backlog, alleviate time constraints and allow more effective sample processing. This proposal represents an integrative approach to productdevelopment coupling engineering, and life sciences PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This proposal is designed to develop a rapid cryopreservation device that more effectively cryopreserves cells than current instruments and protocols. A prototype device has already been developed and the preliminary data support the theory that such a device can be developed and be of interest to a variety of interested parties.