Fermentors/Bioreactors
Many projects require growth of large quantities of microorganisms, particularly when significant quantities of protein are needed for biophysical measurements.
To facilitate this, the Microbiology Core has three Bioreactors:
- New Brunswick BioFlo-5000 (two units, 30 liters each)
- BioFlo-4500 (one unit, 15 liters).
- Continuous-flow harvesting centrifuge(CEPA Z-41) that can, in the right circumstances, collect the cells from up to 60 liters of culture when the two BioFlo-5000 units are grown in parallel.
The bioreactors also make it possible to monitor and control cultivation parameters. The system controller sets temperature, stirring and the rate of air input to the reactor vessel. pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) can be monitored with electrodes.The pH of the medium can be held within tight limits by means of built-in acid and base pumps, and the value of the DO measurement can be “cascaded to” (that is, used to control) the rate stirring and air input, to try to maintain a desired DO level. All three bioreactors have stainless steel pressure vessels that allow them to be sterilized in place.
The continuous-flow centrifuge (CEPA Z41) makes it possible to harvest cells from the centrifuges without having to repetitively fill centrifuge bottles. Some users are able to harvest cells from 60 liters of culture in a single run of the continuous-flow centrifuge after using the two BioFlo-5000 units in parallel to grow the same culture.
| RPI Users | External Nonprofit | External Industry | External Industry Partners | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Growth | $25 | $41 | $82 | $74 |
| Complex Growth | $62 | $102 | $204 | $184 |
| Training | $80 | $132 | $263 | $237 |
| RPI Users | External Nonprofit | External Industry | External Industry Partners | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel Time | $73 | $120 | $240 | $216 |
Valid through July 31, 2025. Rates are hourly unless specified otherwise and are subject to change without further notice.
Required Acknowledgement and Authorship
Please acknowledge the CBIS Core Facilities in all publications and grant applications where our equipment and/or personnel have facilitated the work. These acknowledgements are very important because documenting our contributions helps to ensure that the resources of the Core Facilities are sustainable.
- Equipment: If you used Core Facility equipment, please note this in the Materials and Methods. e.g., Thermogravimetric analysis was carried out using a TA Instruments TGA-Q50 (Rensselaer CBIS Analytical Biochemistry Core Facility).
- Personnel: Please consider including CBIS personnel as co-authors on your publications when they have made a significant intellectual contribution to the research. Include CBIS Core Facility directors or staff as co-PI or co-investigators in grant applications when they provide a significant contribution to the grant proposal and scientific/intellectual leadership for the proposed work. Please follow these guidelines: ABRF Recommended Guidelines for Authorship on Manuscripts. Also, our Core Facility personnel always appreciate when they are mentioned in the Acknowledgements section of publications.
- Required Funding Authorization Form: Rensselaer researchers must fill out the CBIS Cores Authorization Form (PDF) to use the CBIS Core Facilities.
