High Throughput Fermentation and Cell Culture Device

75861-The Genomes-to-Life program has plans for projects to grow multiple microorganisms in high throughput under a variety of carefully controlled-state conditions. In addition, recombinant clones will require cultures under controlled conditions at high levels of expression, high throughput, and fast production turn-around. To accomplish this, technology will be required for: (1) growing specific biomass under well-characterized states for proteomics, (2) rapidly identifying optimal culture conditions for expression of tagged proteins and complexes, (3) rapid scale-up to obtain necessary protein samples, (4) expressing intact protein complexes, and (5) growing microbial cells in nonstandard conditions. Therefore, this project will build a microreactor system that has parametric controls comparable to stirred-vessel bioreactors and demonstrate that the system can enhance throughput in complex workflows. The system will offer closed-loop control of temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen for each individual microreactor. Phase I will develop a prototype with a 24-microreactor array based around a disposable cassette. Tasks include designing and fabricating cassettes, building the prototype system, validating prototype performance, and conducting applications testing. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The microreactor system should have broad applications in cell culture research, microbial physiology, process research, and fermentation development. Potentially, markets as diverse as pharmaceutical development and bioremediation of toxic waste would be impacted.