Essential Equipment for Cell Culture: Tips and Resources to Improve Your Results

From CO2 incubators and biosafety cabinets to freezers and centrifuges, scientists share their experiences with the technology vital to their cell culture workflow

28 Nov 2018
Sarah Thomas
Associate Editor

Keeping cells contamination free is essential for experimental success, with both technique and technology playing a role. Hear from scientists working across a range of applications — from the development of new cell models to the production of virus-like particles — about the NuAire lab equipment they use to advance their research. Plus, access resources to help you improve your bench techniques.

Tips and resources to help you improve your cell culture workflow

1. Preclinical: A Hepatic Cell Model for Long-Term Assays

Marsha Roach is Executive Vice President and a Co-Founder of PhoenixSongs Biologicals where she leads a scientific team to develop cell culture models so that they can be made available to other scientists. Working with both stem cells and mature cells, her lab is equipped with NuAire’s biological safety cabinets and CO2 incubators. Speaking highly of their role in protecting cells, Roach declares: “I’ve used many different kinds of incubators, but I’ve found that the NuAire is my preference.”

2. Drug Manufacturing: Bioprocessing Protein Therapeutics

Mannan K. Khambati is responsible for manufacturing all recombinant human therapeutic proteins at Bharat Serums and Vaccines, Airoli, Mumbai. The bioprocessing workflow for protein production involves cell culture work, such as cell sampling, inoculation, cell expansion, pooling, transfer and sample preparation, for which Khambati uses NuAire biosafety cabinets to provide “assurance of clean sterile air, without any risk of contamination.”

3. Vaccine Development: Combating the World’s Deadliest Viruses

Lizzie Clarke, graduate student of Dr. Steven Bradfute at the Center for Global Health, University of New Mexico, works on the development of virus-like particles (VLPs) as part of a mission to create new vaccines against filoviruses, such as Ebola. Both human and insect cell lines are vital to her work in the production of VLPs and the NuAire NU-540 Class II Biological Safety Cabinet and NU-9668 Ultra Low Temperature Freezer are staples in the Bradfute laboratory. Speaking of the ULT freezer, Clarke shares that “they have been performing really well for us. They are stable, and they have an excellent alarm system so that if someone leaves them open for too long, we find out about it.”

Watch more video interviews about the technology enabling better cell culture on The Scientists’ Channel.

Resources to improve your technique in the cell culture laboratory

LabGard® ES AIR Limited NU-545 Class II, Type A2 Biosafety Cabinet

NuAire, Inc.

The LabGard (Energy Saver) AIR Limited model NU-545 is an NSF/ANSI 49 certified Class II, Type A2 biological safety cabinet delivering the long-lasting, high-quality performance you and your staff demand to protect you and your work.   Safety Automatic Airflow Compensation To maintain safe airflows, the LabGard Limited Edition automatically compensates for both filter loading and line voltage variance to provide you safe, constant airflow protection. HEPEX Zero Leak Airflow System The HEPEX™ Zero Leak Airflow System provides quiet, uniform velocities throughout the entire sterile work zone. All positive pressure chambers and ducts are surrounded by a vacuum or negative air pressure relative to the room. This feature eliminates the possibility of cabinet and gasket leaks. Uneven particulate loading is prevented by maintaining high-static pressure over the entire filter surface assuring True Laminar Airflow. Dynamic Air Barrier Air exchanges within a Class II, Type A2 Biological Safety Cabinet, can occur 25 times per minute. This rapid air exchange system combined with an aerodynamic, ergonomic air foil and a significantly larger access opening creates the strongest air barrier, personnel protection, of any Biological Safety Cabinet. True Laminar Airflow Unidirectional Airflow moving along parallel flow lines at a constant velocity minimizes air turbulence within the work zone. With proper techniques, activities within the work area can be performed safely minimizing the chance of cross-contamination.   Technology TouchLink 2.0 Electronic Control System TouchLink™ is an easy-to-use touch screen LCD which will operate and display all system functions. On / off functions for fluorescent and germicidal ultraviolet lights, blower motor, and interior outlets. Monitors high / low limits for down flow, inflow, and sliding window position. The password protected TouchLink ™ also contains a unique date/clock display and timer functions that can be used as a laboratory timer, purge timer, outlet timer, UV light timer, auto-run timer, night setback, or weekend turn-off. TOUCHLINK™ also contains diagnostic functions for a NSF trained service technician or certifier. Real Time Airflow Monitoring Using the same technology as your NSF Accredited Certifier, model NU-545 features digital dual thermistor airflow sensors in the down flow and exhaust flow air to monitor and control real-time airflow ensuring safe airflows based on air velocity instead of pressure inside the plenum. Auto Decontamination The automatic decontamination works in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide, and paraformaldehyde systems. The process simultaneously runs the cabinet blower at a low rate during the decontamination cycle. This will aid in the process of distributing the decontaminant gas/vapor throughout the cabinet during the entire decontamination cycle. Window clamps securely create an air tight seal against an inner window gasket. The inlet port is connected to a connection point on top of the BSC. The outlet port is attached to a fitting on an auto decontamination exhaust seal plate.   Lower Total Cost of Ownership Ultra-High Efficiency Motor A single DC ECM motor with an optimally sized fan saves you up to 47% off your electricity bill compared to previously used motor technologies. LED Lighting Exterior LED lighting provides life up to 50,000 hours and is 30% more efficient than standard fluorescent lightning. The LED lighting provides cool white illumination of the work zone from 90 – 120 foot-candles (968 – 1291 lux). Larger, Longer Lasting Filters NuAire offers filters that use more filter media and offer more pleats per square inch. Combined with an ultra-high efficiency motor with more torque, a NuAire BSC can extend the life of a HEPA filter up to 10 years or more. Night Setback As a standard option, upon window closure, the NU-545 may allow the motor to continue to run at a lower rate to continually HEPA filter the work zone. The LED light will be disabled. If the sliding window is then opened, the cabinet will resume normal airflow set points in run mode. Night setback will save your facility money if your standard operating procedures require you to run the BSC 24/7.   Design Monolithic Design At the core of any NuAire Biosafety Cabinet is the single piece stainless steel shell. The process starts by bending a single piece of heavy duty stainless steel to create the back and side walls of the cabinet. Additional stainless steel sheets are seam welded into place to create the top and bottom. A smaller sheet of stainless steel is bent and welded into place to create the coved interior work zone. The final step welds the frame work into place to house the motor/blower assembly and HEPA filters. The result is a monolithic shell eliminating the need for rivets, gaskets, and sealants extending product life and enhancing safety. Vibration Control The motor/blower system is suspended inside the BSC using the attenumont system, a shock absorbing technology minimizing vibration transfer from the motor to the cabinet. The HEPEX Zero Leak Airflow System uses an impermeable, antimicrobial, and flameproof flexible fabric to make up the BSC’s plenum eliminating vibration transfer from the motor/blower to the plenum. Clean-ability The interior of the BSC features smooth coved corners for easy clean-ability. A spill trough with drain valve is located under the work surface to catch any unwanted spills. The work surface comes optionally with a prop-up work tray to easily clean under the work surface.

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LabGard ES (Energy Saver) NU-543 Class II, Type A2 Biological Safety Cabinet

NuAire, Inc.

LabGard® Air NU-543 Class II, Type A2 Biological Safety Cabinet offers the very best in personnel, product, and environmental protection by monitoring and controlling real-time airflow through the use of an airflow sensor, and displays airflow speeds on the OLED interface. The ability to choose up to three (3) different access opening heights allows our customers the option to select a larger access opening to improve technician movement and reach; select a smaller access opening to lower your total cost of ownership; or select somewhere in-between to get the best of both heights.

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LabGard ES (Energy Saver) NU-540 Class II, Type A2 Biological Safety Cabinet

NuAire, Inc.

The LabGard® ES NU‐540 Class II, Type A2 Laminar Flow Biological Safety Cabinet (LFBSC) is an effective primary engineering control in obtaining the optimum product quality while reducing the potential for exposure of both product and personnel to airborne biological or particulate chemical agents in low to moderate risk‐hazard research and drug preparation. The NU-540 offers economical operation through the use of an ultra high efficiency motor to maximize filter life and monolithic silicone-free construction for long product life.

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