To ensure that samples of plasma and serum obtained in the course of the Lasers4Life (L4L) project can be stored under optimal conditions, the BIRD Group recently took delivery of an automated refrigeration system designed for use at liquid-nitrogen temperatures. The new Biobank was installed in BIRD’s own laboratory at LEX Photonics, which minimizes the interval between sample recovery and laser analysis. The consignment, which was delivered on six pallets, consisted of the necessary components and peripherals, as well as a workbench specifically designed for the handling of frozen samples in the laboratory. Deployment of the various components of the new system required the help of a crane.
Askion’s Hermetic Storage HS200S system is capable of storing approximately 60,000 samples at temperatures below -150°C. Under these ‘cryogenic’ conditions, samples can be kept for 10 or more years without qualitative deterioration.
In order to maintain the cold chain even during the storage and removal of the samples, the HS200S is equipped with a robotic arm that can perform these tasks at a temperature of approximately -110°C. The dedicated workbench mentioned above facilitates the manipulation of samples at and below these temperatures, and it also provides for the automated freezing of samples in accordance with predetermined temperature profiles.
