DESCRIPTION
Aim of the project is the development of a compact closed and automated bioreactor
incubation system for the expansion of adherent cells for e.g., cell therapy at reduced gravity.
The system will be based on the Green Elephant stand-alone product – the CellScrew®
which offers simple handling while increasing the growth surface by a factor of ~13 in the
same volume or reduces the weight to generate the same growth surface by ~90 % in
comparison to state-of-the-art systems. Most of the single use part can be produced by
additive manufacturing (3D-printing) from plant-based polymer. These features make the
proposed product a highly compact, lightweight solution for academic experiments or
pharmaceutical production also suitable for low gravity applications.
The compact bioreactor incubation system that is operational in reduced gravity surrounding
and that relies on 3D-printed culture surfaces is a system that allows cell-culture experiments
or the production of advanced therapeutics on-site. The CellScrew® is already produced by
additive manufacturing and offers a huge growth surface to cultivate adherent cells and is a
suitable cultivation system for this application without any further design adaptions. The
development of an automated process control system for rotation, temperature and
atmosphere will offer a space and time saving out-of-the-box solution for cell-culture
experiments and to treat patients. A high grade of automation and gapless process control
enables the non-expert but trained personnel to be able to operate the system.
Green Elephant provides a LoI by DLR which points out the interest in this project regarding
the following aspects:
– The intensification of the bioreactor and its incubator system, it weighs less and needs less
transportation space – which are limiting factors in space.
– The whole concept evolves around circular economy – which is extremely relevant for
space where resources are extremely scarce.
– Decentralized production – increasing the degree of independence from supplies from earth.
