Shakers

This article will look at the history and development of a de-facto standard in academic and industrial research laboratories throughput the world, the Multitron incubator shaker. The aim is to show that an initial revolution can lead to evolution, as needs change over time. The fundamentals of a good design can last decades, when new benefits and the best of current technologies are added regularly.

A plasmid DNA production process was performed comparing conventional Erlenmeyer flasks with LB medium and the Thomson’s Ultra Yield® system. E. coli cells were cultivated in both systems in the INFORS HT Multitron incubator shaker, bacterial growth was monitored, and the plasmids were purified at the end of cultivation. Subsequently, the quality of the isolated plasmids was analyzed by HPLC. The combination of the Ultra Yield® flasks with the enriched Plasmid+® medium and the AirOtop® enhanced seal led to higher cell densities and a 21-fold higher amount of plasmid than in Erlenmeyer shake flasks with LB medium.

The Multitron incubator shaker remains uniquely popular since its launch in 1991. The original concept was to offer maximum shake flask capacity whilst occupying minimum space within the laboratory. A number of other new features were launched alongside the Multitron, and since have become firm favourites with users. Some of the best loved capabilities of the Multitron are listed below.

Your lab depends on healthy growing cells, and these cells depend on the continuous operation of your incubation shakers. The last thing you want in your lab is unscheduled downtime.  

Servicing your incubation shaker is important to maintain accuracy, prevent contamination, optimize productivity and extend lifespan, especially if you use it in a laboratory for research or production settings where precision, reliability and consistency are crucial.

In recent years, mRNA (messenger RNA) technology has emerged as a groundbreaking tool in the field of medicine, revolutionizing the way we approach disease prevention and treatment. This cutting-edge technology holds tremendous promise for combating a wide range of diseases, including infectious diseases, cancer and genetic disorders.

The idea of using our own cells to produce antibodies essential for survival no longer belongs to science fiction. Although it has been the focus of researchers for decades, the direct use of messenger RNA encoding antibodies has received recent market approval due to the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, this platform technology is revolutionizing the way we think about biopharmaceutical production and has great potential for further applications. In the following article, you will learn about the key aspects of the application, production and use of mRNA, the software of life.