Flask for the drying of biological material

Recent advances in the stabilization of eukaryotic cells during desiccation provide possibilities for present and future pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Such applications require strict adherence to sterility. Devices for the sterile processing of biological samples during drying and rehydration are lacking, however. An ideal device suitable for these procedures, especially for use in freeze-drying, would maintain sterility, allow sterile temperature sampling during the drying procedure, allow for microscopic analysis in the dry and rehydrated state, and allow for subsequent use in cell and tissue culture following rehydration. Furthermore, since the initial hydration of samples from the vapor phase (pre-hydration) is often useful to preserve sample integrity prior to complete rehydration, the device must prevent contamination during this process. We have developed a device suitable for these tasks. The Biomaterial Desiccation, Rehydration, and Imaging Flask (BioDRI™ Flask) fulfills all of the above mentioned requirements. It maintains sterility during drying, pre-hydration, and rehydration. It further enables adequate, sterile temperature sampling and microscopy. The design proves to be multi-functional, and allows for adequate drying by multiple methods, including freeze-drying, air-drying, and vacuum-drying-all of which are useful in the desiccation of biological samples. We believe that the BioDRI Flask will provide many applications in the field of biostabilization by drying.