RTS-8 plus is a personal bioreactor that utilizes patented Reverse-Spin® technology that applies non-invasive, mechanically driven, low energy consumption, innovative type of agitation where cell suspension is mixed by the single-use falcon bioreactor tube rotation around its axis with a change of direction of rotation motion resulting in highly efficient mixing and oxygenation for aerobic cultivation. Combined with a near-infrared, fluorescence and luminescence measurement systems, it is possible to register cell growth kinetics, pH and O2 non-invasively in real time. For pH and O2, innovative single-use sensor spots are used inside the tubes.

Although O2 supply is one of the major issues in the cultivation of aerobic organisms, especially in oxygen limited conditions, adequate methods for real monitoring of dissolved oxygen were missing, and sufficient O2 supply was usually assumed. Innovative non-invasive oxygen sensors integrated in falcon tubes now enable online oxygen monitoring and give new insights into metabolic activities. The pH is one of the major issues in the cultivation of cells, yeast or bacteria. Cultivation vessels which are sensor limited are widely applied in academic and industrial bioprocess development. As adequate methods for real monitoring of pH were not available, cumbersome at-line sampling was used lacking high data density and interfering with growth. Non-invasive real time pH measurement provides new insights into metabolic activity and changes in metabolic pathways.

FEATURES

Parallel cultivation of 8 tube bioreactors enables to save time and resources for bioprocess optimization
Individually controlled bioreactor accelerates optimization process
Possibility to cultivate microaerophilic and obligate anaerobic microorganisms (not strict anaerobic conditions)
Reverse–Spin® mixing principle enables non-invasive biomass measurement in real time
Near-infrared optical system makes it possible to register cell growth kinetics
Free of charge software for storage, demonstration and analysis of data in real time
Compact design with low profile and small footprint for personal application
Individual temperature control for bioprocess applications
Active cooling for rapid temperature control, e.g. for temperature fluctuation experiments
Task profiling for process automatization
Cloud data storage to remotely monitor the process of cultivation while at home or using a mobile phone
Non-invasive O2 and pH measurement allows for accurate monitoring of metabolic activities
ADVANTAGES OF THE SENSOR SPOTS:

They are small
Their signal does not depend on the flow rate of the sample
They can be physically divided from the measuring system which allows a non-invasive measurement
They can be used in disposables
Therefore, they are ideally suited for the examination of small sample volumes, for highly parallelized measurements in disposables, and for biotechnological applications
SOFTWARE FEATURES

Real–Time cell growth logging
Real-Time pH and O2 measurement and logging
3D graphical representation of OD or growth rate over time over unit
Pause option
Save/Load option
Report option: PDF and Excel
Remote monitoring option (requires internet connection)
Cycling/Profiling options
User manual calibration possibility for most cells
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

Fermentation real time growth kinetics
Clone candidate screening
Protein expression
Temperature stress and fluctuation experiments
Media screening and optimization
Growth characterization
Inhibition and toxicity tests
Strain quality control
Initial bioprocess optimization studies