System and method for supporting a biological chip device
First Claim
1. An apparatus for supporting biological materials, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing for providing a sustaining environment to biological materials which may be placed therein, wherein the housing comprises an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion being disposed within the outer portion to form a space therebetween, wherein the inner portion of the housing is adapted to provide the sustaining environment to a three-dimensional arrangement of living cells, and wherein the space between the inner and outer portions of the housing includes a gel having desired thermal characteristics;
a fluid source for supplying a fluid to the sustaining environment in the housing;
a nutrient source for supplying nutrients to the sustaining environment in the housing;
an excitation emitter for transferring energy to the housing; and
an energy transfer portion for transferring energy from the housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A support apparatus for maintaining, storing, and transporting biological materials, such as cells. In accordance with certain embodiments of the invention, the biologic materials may be integrated to an electronic component to form a biological chip device, which may be supported, transported, and adapted for interconnection with other such devices through the use of a support apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In certain embodiments, the support apparatus can generate signals and/or translate signals received for processing and/or relaying to another device or module (e.g., another support apparatus). A plurality of biological chip devices and associated support apparatuses can be supported and linked in a network to perform various desired functions.
22 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An apparatus for supporting biological materials, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing for providing a sustaining environment to biological materials which may be placed therein, wherein the housing comprises an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion being disposed within the outer portion to form a space therebetween, wherein the inner portion of the housing is adapted to provide the sustaining environment to a three-dimensional arrangement of living cells, and wherein the space between the inner and outer portions of the housing includes a gel having desired thermal characteristics;
a fluid source for supplying a fluid to the sustaining environment in the housing;
a nutrient source for supplying nutrients to the sustaining environment in the housing;
an excitation emitter for transferring energy to the housing; and
an energy transfer portion for transferring energy from the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
- a housing for providing a sustaining environment to biological materials which may be placed therein, wherein the housing comprises an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion being disposed within the outer portion to form a space therebetween, wherein the inner portion of the housing is adapted to provide the sustaining environment to a three-dimensional arrangement of living cells, and wherein the space between the inner and outer portions of the housing includes a gel having desired thermal characteristics;
Specification