METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THAWING BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL

• US 20150125138A1
• Filed: 01/15/2015
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pluri Biotech Limited
• Original Assignee: Pluristem Ltd. (Pluri Inc.)
• Inventors: Karnieli, Ohad, Slonim, Tal, Raviv, Lior, Gross, Nufar
• Granted Patent: US 10,251,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 392/441
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 1/0242 Apparatuses, i.e. devices used in the process of preservation of living parts, such as pumps, refrigeration devices or any other devices featuring moving parts and/or temperature controlling components
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 1/0284 Temperature processes, i.e. using a designated change in temperature over time
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 29/30 Mixing the contents of individual packages or containers, e.g. by rotating tins or bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1861 using radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/20 Heating or cooling heating or cooling apparatus for laboratory uses B01L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/02 Automatic switching arrangements specially adapted to apparatus ; Control of heating devices thermally-actuated switches H01H37/00

Abstract

This disclosure is a system for heating a sample, e.g. a biological material, in a vessel. The system can include a heating device configured to transmit energy to the vessel and a base moveably coupled to the heating device. The system can also include a processor configured to receive an input associated with a target temperature, and transmit a signal to controllably move the heating device relative to the base for a time period, wherein the time period is determined based on the target temperature and content volume.

Claims

1. A method for thawing a frozen biological material, comprising:

reading information contained on a code or tag associated with the frozen biological material;

setting a target temperature for the frozen biological material;

applying heat to the frozen biological material via a heating device; and

controllably moving the biological material for a time period to allow generally uniform heat dispersion, wherein the time period is determined based on at least one of the target temperature and a content volume of the biological material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the frozen biological material includes a suspension of a population of cells.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the population of cells include eukaryotic cells.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the frozen biological material is located within a vial or container, and the heating device is configured for receiving said vial or container.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of halting said step of controllably moving the biological material after the time period has elapsed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of halting said step of applying heat after the time period has elapsed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording an identifier associated with the biological material.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording information associated with at least one of a temperature of the heating device, a temperature of the biological material, a speed of movement of the heating device, and the time period of said step of applying heat.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of recording information associated with a temperature of said vial or tube, and terminating said step of apply heat after a target temperature is reached.

10. A method for thawing a frozen biological material, comprising:

setting a target temperature for the frozen biological material;

applying heat to the frozen biological material via a heating device;

measuring the temperature of said frozen biological material or a vial or container wherein said frozen biological material is housed;

controllably moving the biological material for a time period to allow said frozen biological material, said vial, or said container.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the frozen biological material includes a suspension of a population of cells.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the population of cells include eukaryotic cells.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said heating device is configured for receiving said vial or container.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising halting the step of controllably moving the biological material after the time period has elapsed.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising halting said step of applying heat after the time period has elapsed.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising recording an identifier associated with the frozen biological material.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising recording information associated with at least one of a temperature of the heating device, a temperature of the biological material, a speed of movement of the heating device, and the time period of said step of applying heat.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of recording information associated with a temperature of said vial or tube, and terminating said step of apply heat after a target temperature is reached.

19. A system for heating a biological material in a vessel, comprising:

a base;

a heating device configured to transmit energy to the vessel.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an input associated with a target temperature; and

transmit a signal to controllably move the heating device relative to the base for a time period, wherein the time period is determined based on at least the target temperature.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a memory configured to store data associated with at least one of a temperature of the heat source, a temperature of the vessel, a temperature of the biological material, a speed of movement of the heating device, and the time period.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the heating device is movably coupled with the base such that it rotates relative to the base.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to controllably rotate the heating device relative to the base at a variable speed.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising a code or tag reader configured to identify a code or tag associated with the biological material.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising a network connection configured to transmit said data to a network.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the time period is determined based on in addition at least a content volume of the biological material.