US 12,173,268 B2
Multi-well mechanical stimulation systems and incubators
Davide Marino, Paternò (IT); Riccardo Gottardi, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Rocky Sung Chi Tuan, Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Assigned to University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Fondazione Ri.MED, Palermo (IT)
Appl. No. 16/753,710
Filed by University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Fondazione Ri.MED, Palermo (IT)
PCT Filed Oct. 19, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/056715
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 3, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/079722, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 25, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/574,664, filed on Oct. 19, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0270561 A1, Aug. 27, 2020
Int. Cl. C12M 1/42 (2006.01); C12M 1/00 (2006.01); C12M 1/02 (2006.01); C12M 1/12 (2006.01); C12M 1/32 (2006.01); C12M 1/34 (2006.01); C12N 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC C12M 35/04 (2013.01) [C12M 23/12 (2013.01); C12M 23/38 (2013.01); C12M 27/00 (2013.01); C12M 37/04 (2013.01); C12M 41/12 (2013.01); C12M 41/34 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0478 (2013.01); C12N 5/0068 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of guides configured to be inserted into wells of a multi-well plate, the wells being configured to contain biological samples;
a plurality of pistons configured to fit into the guides and reciprocate within the guides to provide mechanical stimulation to the biological samples in the wells;
a plurality of supports coupled to upper ends of the pistons, wherein the supports are configured to interface with a mechanical actuation mechanism to drive the pistons; and
a membrane that passes between the supports and the pistons and spans across upper sides of the pistons and is sized to cover the multi-well plate when the system is applied to the multi-well plate, the membrane providing a shield to maintain sterility of the biological samples in the wells.