A Novel 5mm NMR-Compatible Micro-Spindle Bioreactor for Steady-State & Dynamic in Cell NMR

Kayvan R. Keshari¹, Mark Van Criekinge, Daniel Vigneron, John Kurhanewicz

Current NMR-compatible bioreactor systems have utilized standard 1025mm designs to study cellular metabolism inside of a magnet. Though these systems are applicable to large volumes of immortalized cells (108 cells), obtaining the required volumes of primary cells and/or tissues is prohibitive. The use of primary cell and tissue cultures provides a more clinically relevant platform for testing new hyperpolarized MR probes and therapies. This preliminary study demonstrates the feasibility of using this 5mm bioreactor design in combination with hyperpolarized MR to explore both in cell steady-state and dynamic metabolism using dramatically reduced cell and perfusate volumes.