Establishing a proof of concept for the edIncubator: a low-cost tray incubator that minimizes cross contamination and enables monitoring of user-established parameters
Poster Number
11B
Format
Poster Presentation (Research Day, April 30)
Faculty Mentor Name
Shadi Othman
Faculty Mentor Department
Bioengineering
Abstract/Artist Statement
Current research approaches aim to emulate the microenvironment of living systems by controlling certain parameters, including temperature, carbon dioxide levels, and pH. This can be accomplished by culturing cells in incubators and mimicking homeostatic elements to minimize the risk of apoptosis and contamination. Incubators traditionally support hands-on experimentation and learning processes, although this is easily associated with cross-contamination risks. The edIncubator reflects a strong sense of innovation through the implementation of eight individualized trays to minimize cross-contamination and enable multiple users to establish different culturing purposes for each tray. In order to have meticulous control over critical cell culturing parameters, the edIncubator integrates electrical components and software designed to store and deliver data relating to user-established parameters.
To establish a proof of concept for Phase 1 of this project, it is important to take into consideration the role carbon dioxide plays in this system since it is a primary parameter associated with tissue microenvironments. The setup of this experiment consists of two simplified chambers with two sets of mechanically operated one-way valves to establish a clear distinction between carbon dioxide flowing in and out of the chambers. Once experimental data proves the foundational idea that carbon dioxide can deviate into two separate chambers, this setup can be expanded to account for eight individual chambers as well as any additional parameters that could be useful to monitor to ensure cell viability.
Location
Information Commons, William Knox Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center
Start Date
30-4-2022 10:00 AM
End Date
30-4-2022 12:00 PM
Establishing a proof of concept for the edIncubator: a low-cost tray incubator that minimizes cross contamination and enables monitoring of user-established parameters
Information Commons, William Knox Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center
Current research approaches aim to emulate the microenvironment of living systems by controlling certain parameters, including temperature, carbon dioxide levels, and pH. This can be accomplished by culturing cells in incubators and mimicking homeostatic elements to minimize the risk of apoptosis and contamination. Incubators traditionally support hands-on experimentation and learning processes, although this is easily associated with cross-contamination risks. The edIncubator reflects a strong sense of innovation through the implementation of eight individualized trays to minimize cross-contamination and enable multiple users to establish different culturing purposes for each tray. In order to have meticulous control over critical cell culturing parameters, the edIncubator integrates electrical components and software designed to store and deliver data relating to user-established parameters.
To establish a proof of concept for Phase 1 of this project, it is important to take into consideration the role carbon dioxide plays in this system since it is a primary parameter associated with tissue microenvironments. The setup of this experiment consists of two simplified chambers with two sets of mechanically operated one-way valves to establish a clear distinction between carbon dioxide flowing in and out of the chambers. Once experimental data proves the foundational idea that carbon dioxide can deviate into two separate chambers, this setup can be expanded to account for eight individual chambers as well as any additional parameters that could be useful to monitor to ensure cell viability.