NASA SBIR 01-II Solicitation

FORM 9B - PROPOSAL SUMMARY


PROPOSAL NUMBER: B2.03-9721 (For NASA Use Only - Chron: 012278 )
PHASE-I CONTRACT: NAS9-01135
PROPOSAL TITLE: Cassette Based Robotic Multiple Cell Culture System

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The specific innovation proposed for continued research is a family of fully-automated (robotic) cell-culture systems, each a laboratory in a cassette, named collectively ?Multicult?. SHOT will incorporate several technical innovations, including options for gentle mixing of cell suspensions, transparent monolayer culture surfaces, control of inertial load (?g-level?) by rotation within the cassette, pH monitoring, adding fresh medium or fixatives with immediate mixing, and real-time imaging of cells in transparent containers. SHOT will perform research leading to (1) a cassette-based rotating plate for exposing 8 cultures of suspended cells to acceleration levels from 1 to 5 g while facilitating fluid additions and balancing out all forces other than centrifugal and gravity vectors, (2) a curved-wall transparent culture vessel for centrifugal studies of adherent cells, (3) a miniaturized non-invasive pH reader, (4) a compact video microscope, (5) a control-and-data network of embedded processors, and (6) a deliverable prototype cassette-based Multicult system incorporating these features for the sponsor. SHOT will use the results of this research to develop, in addition to a cell culture capability for space flight, marketable instruments based on its pH reader, centrifugal culture plates and autonomously controlled Multicults.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
SHOT's Multicult research program is rich in commercial potential. Five commercial applications are being pursued under this program: a pH reader, a Multistage Biphasic Extractor (SHOT's "BiSep"), a Suspended-Cell Multicult Laboratory Unit, an Adherent-Cell Multicult Laboratory Unit, and Space Cell Culture Commercial and Government Services. The pH reader has huge market potential providing non-invasive pH measurements for applications ranging from cell culturing to water analysis and promises to develop into a $3.3 million business for SHOT. Upgrades to SHOT's BiSep will make it user-friendly and efficient for up to 22-stage extractions with active mixing and demixing at every transfer. Multicult laboratory units are useful in biotechnology laboratories where around-the-clock sampling and performance recording of several independently controlled bench-scale bioreactors are required. SHOT will incorporate Multicult units into space flight cassettes and provide microgravity research capabilities to investigators through SHOT's pending Space Act Agreement. The Multicult system should be useful in space flight experiments, especially in view of the possibility of flying multiple units and operating each autonomously and robotically. One component, the pH reader, has been selected by SHOT to quickly commercially utilize the results of this research.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Dr. Paul Todd
Space Hardware Optimization Technology
7200 Highway 150
Greenville , IN   47124 - 9515

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Space Hardware Optimization Technology
7200 Highway 150
Greenville , IN   47124 - 9515


Form Printed on 05-09-02 16:37