AN AUTOMATED HOLLOW FIBER BIOREACTOR CONTROL SYSTEM

THIS RESEARCH OBJECTIVE IS TO TEST THE EFFICACY OF COMBINING A NEW DESIGN OF HOLLOW FIBER BIOREACTOR FOR MAMMALIAN CELL CULTURE, WITH AN IMPROVED AUTOMATED BIOREACTOR CONTROL SYSTEM. THERE ARE NUMEROUS DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS REQUIRING IN VIRTO CELL CULTURE METHODS FOR PRODUCING: CELLS FOR HARVEST, IN VITRO TISSUE ANALYSIS, OPTIMIZE CELL CULTURE CONDITION, AND FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES (MABS) AND OTHER SECRETED PRODUCTS. THE BIOREACTOR DESIGN USES CONCENTRIC FIBERS PAIRS TO KEEP ALL CELLS IMMOBILIZED WITHIN THE CRITICAL 200 MICRONS DISTANCE FROM A DIFFUSIONAL OXYGEN SOURCE, AND HAS SUPPORTED HYBRIDOMAS AT HIGH DENSITY (>108/ML) AND HIGH VIABILITY (>85%) FOR 90 DAYS. THE CONTROL SYSTEM ELIMINATES MANY FAILURE MODES OF CONVENTIONAL HOLLOW FIBER BIOREACTORS INCLUDING: EXCESSIVE DIFFUSIONAL NUTRIENT GRADIENTS, SYSTEM AUTOCLAVABILITY, PERISTALTIC PUMP FAILURE, JACK OF PH AND DO CONTROLS, LACK OF SCALEABILITY, AND POWER OUTAGES. THE GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO PROVIDE A COMPLETE, COMPACT, TURNKEY SYSTEM FOR MAMMALIAN CELL CULTURE WHICH IS AFFORDABLE, EASY TO USE, AND WHICH SOLVES MANY KEY FAILURE MODES OF CONVENTIONAL REACTOR SYSTEMS.