Haier Biomedical delivers colossal cryogenic storage system to support multiple myeloma research


The Botnar Institute for Musculoskeletal Sciences is the largest research centre investigating the causes, pathways and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions in Europe. It forms part of the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences at the University of Oxford, an internationally recognised institute where scientists work alongside clinicians to enhance translational research. The centre’s multidisciplinary team is composedof around 350 staff and postgraduatestudents, who have access to state- of-the-art facilities – from expansive laboratories to GMP-compliant clean rooms – that help them make meaningful advances in therapies to transform the lives of patients. 


Customer Requirements:

  • Extend existing cryogenic facility

  • Storage for at least 80,000 cryovials

  • Prompt and secure installation

  • Minimal temperature fluctuations tomaintain sample integrity

  • Compliance with Human Tissue Authority regulations 


"We needed a solution that could hold at least 80,000 cryovials, ensuring we didn’t need to extend our capacity further as the project matured. We also wanted it relatively quickly,

and it had to fit in with our existingequipment. In theory, there were a fewsuppliers that fitted these criteria, butwe already had some experience with Haier Biomedical – plus a colleague had used its ultra-low temperature freezers in a previous position – andso the company quickly became the obvious choice."


web_botnar2.png



Part of the world-class infrastructure at the Botnar Research Centre is its cryogenic storage facility, which allows the various research groupsto store their biological samples and cell lines.This proved highly attractive to the Oxford Centre for Translational Myeloma Research, which was searching for a central point to store all of its tissue samples. This newly launched research group aims to undertake ‘internationally competitive research into the processes underlying multiple myeloma and related plasma cell diseases’, and is backed by numerousstakeholders, including the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the NHS, patient organisations, and various national andinternational public academic institutions and private companies.


Alan Bateman, a senior laboratory technician atthe Botnar Research Centre, was tasked withthe job to extend the existing cryogenic facilityto support the new project, which required asignificant increase in capacity. Alan explained:“We needed a solution that could hold at least 80,000 cryovials, ensuring we didn’t need to extend our capacity further as the project matured. We also wanted it relatively quickly,and it had to fit in with our existing equipment.In theory, there were a few suppliers that fitted these criteria, but we already had someexperience with Haier Biomedical – plus a colleague had used its ultra-low temperature freezers in a previous position – and so thecompany quickly became the obvious choice.”


Alan and his team purchased Haier Biomedical’sLiquid Nitrogen Container – Biobank SeriesYDD-1800-635, which has a capacity of over94,000 standard 2 ml cryovials, well above the requirements of the new project. Alan elaborated: “Quite a few suppliers offered tanks that can store up to 80,000 cryovials, but theone we purchased from Haier Biomedical is enormous, while also neatly integrating into our lab, so we couldn’t be happier. It can seem like a daunting undertaking, but Haier Biomedicaltook complete control of the installation, including engaging a third party to extend our liquid nitrogen delivery line. The company’s engineers also checked whether we needed extra ventilation – which we didn’t – to ensure our teams were working in a safe environment.The after-sales support has been equally incredible, with Haier Biomedical making several visits to check whether we need anything.” 


The Biobank Series from Haier Biomedical is designed for large-scale storage of biologicalsamples, meeting the rigorous demands ofbusy laboratories working in strictly regulated environments. All instruments benefit fromadvanced vacuum and superinsulation technologies to ensure minimal temperaturefluctuations within the storage area, withtemperatures as low as -190 °C even on the top shelf during vapour stage storage. They are also equipped with capacitive sensorscapable of detecting even minuscule changes in temperature and liquid levels, offering complete visibility and control of conditions inside the storage area. Alan continued: “Everything has worked perfectly since it has been up and running, from the autofill and carousel to theone-touch defogging feature. Importantly, weare confident that sample integrity is all but guaranteed, with effortless 24/7 monitoring viathe touchscreen user interface. It has certainlybeen a step up from the old-fashioned push button instruments we are used to. There is also better security, with the Authority Managementfunction on the controller, only certain individualscan change vital parameters – such as fill rateand level, and temperature – meaning most researchers can only access samples. This is especially important in helping us comply withthe requirements stipulated by the HumanTissue Authority, UK’s independent regulator ofhuman tissue and organ donations.” 


“Importantly, we are confident thatsample integrity is all but guaranteed,with effortless 24/7 monitoring via thetouchscreen user interface.”


Download case study HERE.

U-Biobank Network (31)
U-Vaccine Network (17)
U-Reagent Network (6)
U-Blood Network (5)
U-Laboratory Network (21)
Cases Download (1)

Case Studies