EB_Sonderdruck_SBD_2023

WMFTS – one expert for the whole biotech fluid path

BIOENGINEERING  Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions (WMFTS) is a specialist manufacturer of pumps and tubing, fluid path components and single-use technology for GMP regulated industries. A comprehensive portfolio of products and assembly design capabilities allows WMFTS to support the whole process, providing accuracy, reliability, and sterility in all fluid handling applications.

Whether in single-use or stainless-steel processes; Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions’ established brands for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector deliver total connectivity throughout upstream, downstream and final fill/finish.

Peristaltic pumps and tubing

Cased peristaltic pumps from WatsonMarlow Pumps combined with highpurity tubing from Watson-Marlow Tubing offer exceptional accuracy and flow control as well as process safety and stability. Watson-Marlow process pumps are self-contained and thanks to EtherNet/IP™ and PROFINET® easily integrate into process control systems connectivity. They offer multiple drive and pumphead options and intuitive menus to provide visual status indication. High purity platinum-cured silicone, weldable and long-life thermoplastic elastomer tubing is designed specifically for applications throughout biotechnology and pharmaceutical processes. Perfectly matching peristaltic pumps and tubing enables customers in the biotechnology sector to obtain easy-to-validate, end-to-end fluid path solutions from a single, reliable source.

Fluid path solutions

ASEPCO Weirless Radial diaphragm™ valves deliver consistency in biotechnology and pharmaceutical processes

while reducing maintenance time by up to 80%. Their unique construction and radial diaphragm design makes them completely drainable which virtually eliminates the risk of contamination.

Aflex Hose manufactures the widest, most technically advanced range of PTFE-lined flexible hose products. Performance features include excellent chemical resistance, a smooth bore that ensures a clean fast fluid flow, resistance to high pressures and full vacuum, with unmatched flexibility and kink resistance.

BioPure’s innovative bioprocessing fluid path components simplify production operations, lower cGMP manufacturing costs and reduce process validation. Puresu ® single-use fluid path assemblies are customised and sterile. They are ready to use, cleanroom man-

ufactured packed, and offer a 10-6 SAL (sterility assurance level).

Fill/finish solutions

Flexicon is established as the preferred choice for aseptic liquid filling for GMP regulated industries. Flexicon’s range of aseptic liquid filling equipment scales from stand-alone units for hand filling, through semi-automatic, to Cellefill™, a turnkey, small batch, vial filling machine with an integrated containment solution developed by Flexicon in cooperation with Franz Ziel.

Contact us:

Watson-Marlow AG

Hardturmstrasse 253, CH-8005 Zürich

www.wmfts.com

info.ch@wmfts.com

SCMB: professional biobanking for your research

SPECIMEN COLLECTION  The Swiss Center for Musculoskeletal Biobanking (SCMB), located in Zürich, Switzerland, is an open-access, certified biobank that supports you in the storage, processing and analysis of your samples. Next to a state-of-the-art technical infrastructure, we offer extensive know-how in the field of musculoskeletal research.

A biobank is known by most to be a type of biorepository that stores biological samples for use in research. Although this also applies to the SCMB, we offer a lot more than that.

Cryogenic infrastructure

The SCMB houses a semi-automated liquid nitrogen-cooled storage system for tissue samples, consisting of two parts: a system in which room-temperature samples can be frozen in a user-defined, temperature-controlled manner, and three large storage tanks where samples can be stored at temperatures up to minus 190°C after being frozen. These systems seamlessly connect to each other, such that an uninterrupted cold chain is guaranteed even during in-between transport. The storage systems each have an automatic sampling/sorting function based on scanning of prelabeled samples or racks, decreasing the likelihood of human error during storage and retrieval.

The SCMB also accommodates large (900-liter) -80°C freezers linked to an automated liquid nitrogen backup system, which itself is connected to a 5'000-liter liquid nitrogen supply tank. In the unlikely case of freezer breakdown or power loss, this system ensures that the temperature inside each freezer will be kept constant at -80°C at all times.

For sample administration, we rely on a professional laboratory informa -

Samples are transferred to be frozen using automated, controlled sample freezing equipment.

tion system that keeps track of all ingoing and outgoing sample traffic.

Sample processing and imaging

In addition to its storage capabilities, the SCMB maintains a fully equipped cell culture laboratory with biosafety level-2 hygiene status, incubators, centrifuges and approximately 100 m 2 laboratory space. Our latest generation cell sorting device is able to perform flow cytometric analyses and sorting of human cells.

Finally, the SCMB offers the possibility to use high-end fluorescent widefield and confocal microscopes to image your samples. Several cam -

era systems connected to the microscopes, combined with high-end optics and smart software macros, ensure crystal-clear live cell imaging in medium- to high-throughput pace.

As an open platform, we are cooperating with both academic and commercial partners, and ensure that all of our users have unlimited access to these facilities. At the same time, a phased access protocol ensures that some areas remain restricted to SCMB staff only.

Quality assurance

Quality assurance is one of the cornerstones in the SCMB. All SCMB staff receive regular training, and we adhere to the guidelines in biobanking as provided by the Swiss national biobanking initiative Swiss Biobanking Platform (SBP). At present, we are the only biobank in the canton of Zurich to have received their highest “Optima” accreditation, based on the biobank standard ISO 20387.

Contact us:

Dr Sander Botter

Swiss Center for Musculoskeletal Biobanking

Balgrist Campus AG

Lengghalde 5, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland

Tel. +41(0) 44 510 7777

https://scmb.balgristcampus.ch

E-Mail scmb@balgristcampus.ch