Team Members
Aaron Asch, Sara Figueroa, Jhon Ibanez, Aristotle Koukoulidis, David Lovelace, Gianna Segnatelli, Jazlyn Soler
Abstract
The goal of the IncuGator is to lower the technical entry barrier to continuous cell culturing research by simplifying and optimizing every step of the process. This is done by culturing cells in self–isolated incubation chambers where each experiment can vary the temperature, motion, and atmospheric gas content inside. Furthermore, the incubation chambers include built in real–time continuous monitoring of cell growth so that the conventionally required sample transportation to devices such as turbidostats and microplate readers is no longer necessary. By allowing the entire experiment to be contained to one chamber, the risk of sample contamination is massively reduced, allowing experiments to be essentially autonomous after set–up. The seating tray in the incubator is universal to all well trays, so that one tray of any size can accompany a 15ml and a 50 ml falcon tube in the experiment chamber, and the experiment chambers are modular so multiple can be added for each system. An autonomous liquid handling system is used to fill and remove samples from the incubators, with disposable tips to reduce the possibility of contamination. Heating and cooling is optimized by utilizing thermoelectric temperature control for precise atmospheric conditions, and the atmosphere is controlled by attaching pre–mixed gas canisters to an individual chamber. Using the IncuGator, all processes required in continuous cell growth and monitoring can be completed without ever having to move the samples, allowing for sanitary, safe, and autonomous culturing practices to be done in all laboratories from commercial pharmaceutical to high school.