Docket No:	UML 07-22 PRV
Primary Inventor:	Lisa-Jo Clarizia
Other Inventors:	Daniel Schmidt,Emmanuelle Reynaud,Melisenda McDonald,Xingwei Wang,
Title:	Cell Culture Hydrogel and pH Detection System
Technology:	Biomaterials
Description:	A new range of robust, biocompatible polymer capable of pH regulation and pH sensitive delivery of key culture nutrients to eukaryotic cell lines has been developed and used successfully to deliver glucose, control pH, and enhance the viability of mammalian cells in the absence of human intervention. In addition, a complementary low-cost, on-line, non-invasive optical system has been developed for monitoring pH change, cell growth and cell viability in conjunction with our delivery system.
Applications:	This technology is intended for use in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, and would be of significant interest to any company involved in the labor-intensive culturing of cells (mammalian in particular) as a means of research, development, or production of cell lines (i.e. stem cells), substances (i.e. therapeutic or bioactive agents), materials (i.e. biopolymers), systems (i.e. biotreatment / biofiltration) or medical devices.
Benefits:	Experiments conducted to verify the performance of our first generation of pH sensitive polymers suggest that these materials, loaded with the appropriate buffers, are capable of maintaining the pH of the culture to 7.05 + .02 pH units for at least 96 hours while retaining or improving cell density and without any evidence of cytotoxicity, and are further capable of releasing glucose into the cell culture medium in a pH dependent manner. Additional studies have confirmed that this behavior is highly reproducible.
Contact Person:	Jill S. Murthi
Patent Status:	Application in Progress