Roslin Cellab, the preeminent incubator for stem cell research and a leading provider of stem cell research services to life sciences companies, has selected BioCision's^®CoolCell^® freezing container for cryopreservation of human embryonic stem cell lines. The decision by Roslin Cellab - a subsidiary of the Roslin Foundation and sister company to Roslin Cells, a world leader in the isolation of new clinical grade undifferentiated stem cells for use in research and therapy - comes after a comprehensive review of the CoolCell product line. CoolCell will replace the organization's conventional cryopreservation tools sitewide.

"This is by far and away the best benchtop technology to enter the field of cell cryopreservation for decades. We have compared the BioCision CoolCell to our old conventional method of cryopreservation and found it to be easier, safer and most importantly of all, our cell lines were recovered with reproducibly higher viability yields post-thaw, and subsequent ongoing growth was improved," said John Gardner, senior project leader at Roslin Cellab. "This suggests that the freezing rate is more accurate than the isopropyl alcohol method, which is crucial if a cell line is to survive cryopreservation."

Roslin Cellab assists scientists and technologists with proof-of-concept research, with the goal of translating stem cell research into commercially viable technologies. It supports collaborative research and provides a wide array of services for life sciences companies interested in engaging in stem cell research.

The organization had been using a cell freezing container that required the use of 100 percent isopropyl alcohol for stepwise (-1 degree C/minute) cooling of cell lines in a -80 degree C freezer. This method requires frequent changes of the isopropyl alcohol, a cumbersome and expensive process that demands constant maintenance and yields variable results.  

 "Roslin Cellab's deployment of CoolCell represents an important validation for our technology. We believe our alcohol-free CoolCell is enhancing cryopreservation for stem cells, PBMCs, cell lines and other cell types, as well as in other areas of research in which the accuracy of freezing rates is critical," said BioCision CEO Rolf Ehrhardt, MD, PhD. "Labs at institutions such as Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco that are engaged in stem cell and other cell-based research are increasingly adopting our products to ensure the accuracy of their research."

BioCision's CoolCell is ideal for cell lines, stem cells, PBMC, primary cells and yeast. Designed with a patent-pending controlled-freezing technology, CoolCell offers many advantages over alcohol-filled containers, including no maintenance, no on-going cost and no hazardous waste. With the elimination of alcohol, CoolCell delivers a highly reproducible, consistent cooling rate of -1 degree C/minute and identical freezing profiles each time. The result is superior cell viability and function, and more reliable cell assays.

In addition to the CoolCell products, Roslin Cellab is deploying BioCision's ThermalTray^TM and CoolRack^® modules, which eliminate direct sample contact with ice, water or liquid nitrogen and enhance sterility procedures when handling vials for tissue culture procedures. The ThermalTray platforms and CoolRack modules provide a safe and reproducible option for snap-freezing. The additional option of placing the modules in a 37 degree C water bath aids the sterile thawing of cryovials, and delivers consistent and reproducible thawing profiles.

"The combination of controlled freezing with the CoolCell and controlled temperature for thawing greatly increases the reproducibility of the freeze-thaw process, with increased cell viability and cell growth post-thaw. The versatility of the system is simply brilliant," Roslin Cellab's Gardner said. "The ThermalTray and CoolRack would greatly benefit the process of transferring frozen cell lines using a dry shipper between laboratories. Transfer from the dry shipper to a tray can be achieved quickly without any thawing; the vials are maintained frozen in the tray while they are transferred to laboratory. This also eliminates the transfer of the dry shipper into the tissue culture suite, which is a source of potential contamination."

About BioCision

BioCision is the leading developer of portable benchtop tools for temperature-sensitive biomedical specimens and samples used in basic research, assay development, biomarker studies, diagnostics and clinical trials . The company's patent-pending novel alloy sample modules enable standardized collection, protection and high reproducibility of sample freezing, thawing and cooling. The advantages of ease of use, elimination of user error and highly reproducible performance have led to BioCision's products - CoolRack^®, CoolBox^TM and CoolCell^® - becoming the new standard for benchtop sample management. 

BioCision's products have been adopted by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, contract research organizations, and academic and healthcare institutions worldwide. Headquartered in Mill Valley, California, BioCision was founded by a group of scientists, biomedical engineers and drug development experts. For more information, visit www.biocision.com.