Together, the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT and the Fraunhofer Project Center for Stem Cell Process Technology SPT present selected topics of laboratory and biotechnology in the mobile epidemiological BSL2 laboratory, the "mobile EpiLab".

Automation solutions for workflows in stem cell process technology

Developments in cell culture automation for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies using novel materials are a promising approach to optimize existing processes. By tailor-made properties of the materials, expansion and/or differentiation of human stem cells (focus on human induced pluripotent stem cells, hiPSCs) shall be positively influenced and automation solutions for the production of high-quality cells shall be developed. These generated cells can then be used for the production of model systems for drug tests, toxicity studies or disease modelling and thus make a major contribution to personalised medicine or the avoidance of animal experiments.The Fraunhofer Project Center for Stem Cell Process Technology SPT shows a functional suspension bioreactor on the basis of which existing protocols can be optimized and in which the newly developed stem cell processes can be carried out. The possibility to adherently cultivate stem cells on so-called microcarriers allows this form of cultivation to combine automation solutions for stem cells and material developments and to carry out process optimization. In the direct context of stem cell processes, further approaches of the Fraunhofer Project Center SPT in the fields of actuatorics, microfluidics, bioprinting, image analysis and analytical methods will be presented.

"Stabil-Ice" - Novel disposables for cultivation, differentiation and ice-free cryopreservation of adherent cell systems

The "Stabil-Ice"-Disposable is a disposable laboratory article in which a complete workflow can be realized from cultivation, manipulation (e.g. differentiation) to permanent storage through ice-free cryopreservation (vitrification) and subsequent efficient thawing of adherent cells.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT is showing a prototype of this novel laboratory article for cell culture in various formats (96-well and 24-well formats). This allows all common standard processes to be mapped in cell-based workflows for biomedical and pharmaceutical questions and also enables adherent cell systems to be stored indefinitely. The special geometry of the disposable article reduces the heat capacity of the sample and achieves high temperature rates during cooling so that sterile, ice-free cryopreservation (vitrification) can be achieved. Without the phase separation that occurs with conventional cryopreservation methods, the cellular structures and contacts of cells that usually grow adherently are preserved and can be used immediately after thawing. The presented disposable article is based on the standard dimensions of multiwell plates for system compatibility and allows the complete workflow of e.g. cell-based drug screening in the pharmaceutical industry to be made scalable in comparison to the usual cultivation vessels (e.g. Petri dishes). The long-term storage of human stem cells and neuronal cells derived from them in a "ready-to-use" state is thus made possible very easily and is of great economic benefit in the pharmaceutical, biotechnological and medical industries and research.

Toxicity tests using organ-on-chip screening platform

A screening platform consisting of interconnectable microfluidic modules will be presented. Each module represents a tissue of the organism (e.g. intestine, liver, kidney) and consists of a miniaturized system for the cultivation of cells. The characterization of the cells is carried out with integrated optical and electrical systems. The platform includes a portable incubator microscope that combines a microscope and a miniaturized incubator for cell culture in a single device. An integrated temperature control module ensures temperature control of the cells at 37 °C in a microfluidic chip. With the aid of an external microfluidic system, the cell culture medium is permanently renewed at very low flow rates without exposing the cells to excessive shear stress. The incubator microscope thus allows online monitoring of cells (brightfield and fluorescence) under constant cell culture conditions without the need for additional equipment. Electrodes integrated in the microfluidic chip enable the electrical characterization of cultured cells using impedance spectroscopy. The system simulates the path of toxic substances (including nanomaterials) through the human body and can be used for risk assessment of toxic substances, e.g. under REACH. Other possible applications are in pharmaceutical research and environmental analysis. With this exhibit, the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT demonstrates its interdisciplinary expertise in the development of new in vitro models with miniaturized cell culture systems.

Automated monitoring and analysis of microbial growth in microtitre plates - Growth Monitor

The monitor developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT automatically analyzes the growth of microbial cultures. It was developed within an EFRE project with several partners. The use of standardized microtiter plates ensures the compatibility of the system with existing workflows in the laboratory. The system is distinguished from competitive systems by the large number of cultures monitored in parallel (96/384 well plates) and the generation of online growth curves. The corresponding software evaluates the growth of each well individually. In combination with antibiotics preloaded in the microtiter plate, the system can be used to perform antibiotic susceptibility tests (AST) in a short time. The growth monitor is of particular interest to clinical analysis laboratories and microbiological research institutions. It also supports drug screening in human and animal cell cultures and is therefore of great interest to the research-based pharmaceutical industry. Fraunhofer FIT has contributed its expertise in the development of optical systems, process automation and system integration to the development of the growth monitor.

The "mobile EpiLab" - mobile laboratories and medical units in use

Since 2005, the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT has been developing mobile units up to security level 3 (S3) for flexible, location-independent and autonomous use together with partners. Within the industry alliance "Labor-der-Zukunft^®", initiated by the Fraunhofer IBMT together with the Saarland state government, the next generation of laboratory technology will be applied. In addition to the topics of digitization, automation, mobility and security, areas outside the industry (e.g. electronics, automotive engineering) will also be addressed in order to promote active technology transfer to the laboratories. As a technology demonstrator, the emergency vehicle based on a semi-trailer, which has been on the road for several years for the Federal Environmental Specimen Bank throughout Germany, will be shown. This proven "already-used" unit impressively demonstrates how new approaches can find their way into applications. All exhibits of the three Fraunhofer facilities presented here in the press release are presented in the 55 square metre usable area of the vehicle.

Contact person:

Markus Michel
Head of Business Area Laboratory Technology
Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT
Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Weg 1
66280 Sulzbach, Germany
Telephone: +49 (0) 6897/9071-111
E-Mail: markus.michel[at]ibmt.fraunhofer.de