Infors-HT

Our lab has been using Infors HT bioreactor for nearly 10 years, from previous Minifors to current Labfors. Infors bioreactors have quite modern design with state-of-art techniques, easy to optimise the culture conditions for individual applications. The batch to batch performance is quite stable and the results can be expected, therefore we can prepare our work as scheduled. To date, we have not had any major issues with the system.  The cascade function, if set up carefully, offers great advantage to run whole batch almost automatically. The Eve software provides great convenience for monitoring, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic period when we had restricted working hours. We now constantly use Eve to monitor conditions and change parameters during weekends and after-hours. 

The support teams of Infors and its local distributor In Vitro Technologies are also very professional and supportive. Whenever we call for help, we can always get prompt response within 24 hours, even during the COVID-19 pandemic period.  Overall, we are very satisfied with the performance and services of Infors HT and its distributor.

Background: The Innate Phagocytosis Lab, led by Dr. Ben J. Gu, was established in the Florey Institute, University of Melbourne in 2012 and now becomes independent.  The lab focuses on developing novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic drugs for Alzheimer’s disease, based on the “innate phagocytosis” theory.

The Infors Minifors 2 bioreactor is well designed and functional with many application possibilities, which is  great for our bacterial fermentation work for protein synthesis. The web-based bioprocess software eve® also supports well in planning, control and analysis of the whole processes making it easy for both beginners and experienced users. However, it is not the same as in nonweb system, where the equipment can be run independently.

Customer service has been good so far, particularly with Dr. Sara Sadeghipour and the team, who helped us in addressing our recent queries regarding cascade controls in the bioreactor, oxygen sensor issue etc. We hope to continue our interaction as it helps strengthening not just the customer base for Infors but also the Company to improve their instrument model or function based on customer feedback. Such mutual understanding and collaboration is key to making any future advancement of the equipment and push the frontier.

Daisy Lab are developing precision fermentation food technology in New Zealand. The brainchild of a group of ambitious female scientists marrying a strong business and genetic engineering acumen. Daisy Lab has grown since its conception in 2021, now a fully functional production laboratory who have recently been granted approval from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to scale up production 500-fold from its existing allowances.

In An interview with RNZ (May 2024), Co-founder and chief scientific officer Nikki Freed said the approval was a critical step in their progress - but also mentioned that precision fermentation has been used for centuries, in making rennet for cheese-making, vanilla flavouring, stevia and also insulin.

"Many people don't understand how we're already using precision fermentation in many of the foods that people are already consuming today," Freed said.

"What is new is using it for proteins that are traditionally found in milk, so whey and casein and lactoferrin."

Infors-HT bioreactors have been the backbone of the yeast fermentation required in the companies’ animal-free milk production.

The company started their bio-process, by borrowing two Infors-HT, Multifors instruments from an academic group.  Following this, they have purchased the award winning Minifors-2 from In Vitro Technologies, partnered with Infors-HT. This “small-but-mighty” bioreactor has contributed to automation and record-keeping through the planning, controlling and analysing of the bio-processes performed at Daisy Lab.  The Minifors-2 is a real workhorse in the laboratory,and has supported the Multifors’ in the fermentation and production of their milk proteins.

The new EPA approval is the steppingstone to up-scaling to large stainless-steel bioreactors, used for protein production and subsequent purification and onwards to the supply of dried proteins to dairy and dairy-product manufacturing.

Irina Miller has recently announced on social media how proud she is of her partner and co-founder, Emily McIsaac, who took home $30,000 as a Supreme winner of the North Harbour Club Innovation award!

Daisy Lab is now fundraising for its first pilot facility, and Infors-HT is hoping to continue to support the growth of this company from strength to strength.

The Infors Minifors 2 was our first bioreactor, and it’s proven a reliable piece of equipment over many years. It is fully integrated with our sensors,  and was great for establishing proof of concept ahead of scaling up production to larger bioreactors.

The Infors Multifors is an impressive unit, offering the full functionality of four bioreactors effectively integrated into one unit, this increases the power of my fermentation research.

We have been using an Infors Multifors for the past ten years, this has proven to be a reliable workhorse that is still performing strongly. We have recently purchased a series of Infors Minifors 2 bioreactors and have found it straightforward to get up and running – the equipment is intuitive and easy to work with as is the eve software. In Vitro Technologies, the local distributors for Infors, worked hard to deliver the best option to us within the budget we had available and provided excellent support with the installation.

Our lab has a Multitron 4 shaker incubator and a last-gen 2-stack shaker incubator from Infors. They have been very easy to use and work reliably for our day-to-day cell culture needs. Aside from the recommended periodic cleaning, the incubators have been working like a workhorse to support our mammalian cell culture needs.

Dr Sara Sadeghipour, Product manager from In Vitro Technologies has also been very responsive and helpful whenever we have inquiries or need technical support for Infors-related questions!”

Infors Minifors 2 Bioreactors Supporting Groundbreaking Research at ANSTO

A recent publication from our valued customers at ANSTO utilized the Infors Minifors 2 bioreactor, cultivating engineered yeast strains on D2O (heavy water). Cultivations were performed in batch and batch-fed modes to produce high yield and purity labelled biomolecules.

> Deuterated squalene and sterols from modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae - Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry (RSC Publishing) DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D3OB00754E

Details on the use of Minifors 2 bioreactors were also reported in research into mRNA vaccine delivery, as highlighted in: "Apolipoprotein E Binding Drives Structural and Compositional Rearrangement of mRNA-Containing Lipid Nanoparticles." This pivotal study explores the influence of ApoE on mRNA delivery systems, vital for advancing therapeutic strategies. The cultivation was carefully monitored until a stationary phase was observed, demonstrated by an increase in dissolved oxygen and pH signals. The precision of the Minifors 2 in managing cultivation conditions underscores its significance in production of valuable biomolecules.

> Apolipoprotein E Binding Drives Structural and Compositional Rearrangement of mRNA-Containing Lipid Nanoparticles | ACS Nano

 

We’re thrilled to see the National Deuteration Facility featured in ANSTO’s 2023-24 Annual Report, highlighting their significant contributions to advancing research and industry collaborations. ANSTO’s team is pushing the boundaries of biosynthetically labeled molecules, and we’re proud to support their efforts in expanding their product catalog.

Here’s to continued collaboration and innovation in the field!
> ANSTO Annual Report

In Vitro Technologies is proud to have supplied a total of six Infors Minifors 2 bioreactors to ANSTO, reinforcing our commitment to advancing biotechnology breakthroughs.