Manual freezers have traditionally been the norm for sample storage in the past. While they are still a usable option for storing samples, we recognise the drawbacks they may have. At UK Biocentre we currently have 6 Azenta Life Sciences BioArc™ Flexes, or what we call our ‘Quadbanks’. These are automated sample storage systems that can store up to 3.2 million individual samples each. They are modular and highly customisable to your storage solution needs and can cherry pick individual samples and work with our Laboratory Information Systems (LIMS) to create intelligent algorithms that enable efficient sample picking.
Using dry air blasting at -80°C, the Quadbanks maintain a consistent storage temperature and mitigate the risk of the freeze-thaw effect present with the constant opening of a freezer door. This system also ensures a consistent storage temperature throughout the duration of storage by minimising things such as the opening of manual freezer door. Using dry air blasting also means the samples won’t be frosted over and therefore allows for easy identification and ensures there is zero global warming potential!
Cyro-storage takes ‘freezing things for later’ to the extreme. The technology essentially pauses time by storing samples at ultra-low temperatures. In this process Liquid Nitrogen transforms Nitrogen gas into a liquid, with a boiling point of -196°C, just 77°C above absolute zero – a temperature where there is no motion and no heat. At temperatures of -196°C or less, all cell activity stops, which means that samples should theoretically never degrade.
At UK Biocentre, we have a convoy of 127 custom-built vapour-phase cryogenic storage vacuum flasks – called ‘Dewar’. Each of these Dewars can store around 95,000 samples. Having vapour phase storage Dewars means that the samples are stored above the liquid nitrogen, in the vapour it produces as opposed to in it. Having vapour phase storage minimizes the risk of the sample being contaminated and reduces exposure to potential contaminants also keeping a stable temperature of samples, just above the liquid nitrogen. We stay green with a smaller environmental footprint with vapour phase storage Dewars as opposed to liquid. These Dewars are equipped with the latest electronic control, integrating precise temperature and liquid level measurements to safeguard biological samples.
Cryo-storage allows us to preserve valuable samples for the long term, supporting ongoing research and future discoveries. Stay tuned to see what other machines are working hard at UK Biocentre.