Apparatus for microscopic biolocigal organism observation

Abstract

Microscopic biological organism culture and observation apparatus () comprising a support structure (), one or more chip holders () mounted on the support structure, a pump (P) and a valve system (V), each chip holder configured for holding a microfluidic chip () having one or more microfluidic channels () and culture chambers () therein extending between a pump coupling side () of the microfluidic chip and a reservoir side coupling () of the microfluidic chip. The support structure comprises a reservoirs support platform () mounted on a movable table (), the reservoirs support platform () configured for holding a plurality of nutrition reservoirs () for containing microscopic biological organisms or nutrients and substances to be tested in a liquid. The chip holder () and/or microfluidic chips () comprise reservoir side fluidic couplings () in the form of hollow tubes extending from the microfluidic chip () to a tip () at a free end of the hollow tube, each tip () insertable in a corresponding nutrition reservoir (). The movable table is coupled a height actuator mechanism () and an oscillating mechanism configured to oscillate the reservoir support platform () in a horizontal plane by an amplitude less than a diameter (D) of the nutrient reservoir (), and actuate a vertical movement of the reservoir support platform with the height actuator mechanism ().