Container for cryopreserved samples

Abstract

Disclosed are containers (100) for cryopreserved biological samples (102), which comprise an insulated housing comprising a cavity (108) for containing at least one cryopreserved biological sample; and a sealed reservoir (106) at least partly surrounding the cavity, the sealed reservoir comprising liquified gas (120) such as liqified air, the gas being kept largely liquified by means of a heat transfer engine (112) such as a Stirling cryocooler. A valve (114) may be provided to function as both a pressure relief valve and an inlet valve. The inlet valve may be coupled to a sensor (122) for sensing a volume of liquified gas within the sealed reservoir. The container may further comprise a heat exchanger (116) coupled to the heat engine and extending into the sealed reservoir.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a container for cryopreserved samples, such as biological samples, where the cryopreserved samples can be maintained for extended periods of time, such as months, upon reaching their destination, and may also be capable of being used in controlled Freezing and thawing rates. The containers of the present invention can also be used to ship other types of samples that require cryogenic storage without the use of conventional cryogenic materials such as liquid nitrogen or solid carbon dioxide. Background technique [0002] Cryopreservation is a technique used to preserve biological samples that involves cooling samples to very low temperatures (eg -78.5°C to -196°C) and maintaining them for extended periods of time. By cooling a biological sample to a low temperature, the kinetics of chemical or enzymatic reactions that would otherwise degrade the sample are slowed down to such an extent that the sample no longer degrades...

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