Well-plate incubator

A method for accessing an internal chamber of an incubator, wherein the incubator comprises an enclosure that contains the internal chamber and one or more openings, a support for positioning a cell culture plate within the internal chamber, an access structure having a plurality of openings passing through the access structure, and a sealing element having a plurality of openings corresponding to at least a subset of the plurality of openings in the access structure, the method comprising:

• moving the sealing element from a closed position, in which the sealing element occludes, and thereby seals, each of the plurality of openings in the access structure, to an open position, thereby bringing the plurality of openings in the sealing element into register with a first subset of openings of the plurality of openings in the access structure, the plurality of openings in the sealing element and the first subset of openings of the plurality of openings in the access structure thereby providing a first plurality of passages from an exterior of the incubator to the internal chamber of the enclosure;
• advancing an import/export tip through one or more of the plurality of passages between the exterior of the incubator and the internal chamber of the enclosure;
• and
• collecting or depositing a material within a well of a cell culture plate positioned within the internal chamber of the enclosure via the import/export tip.

An incubator comprising:

• an enclosure having an internal chamber configured to support a cell culture plate comprising a plurality of wells, and at least one passage configured for gas entry;
• a temperature controller configured to maintain a temperature of the internal chamber within a desired range;
• a first heating/cooling device engaged directly or indirectly with the enclosure, the first heating/cooling device controlled by the temperature controller;
• an access structure positioned at the top of the internal chamber, the access structure comprising a plurality of openings passing through the access structure and configured to allow access to the wells of the cell culture plate through the access structure;
• and
• a sealing element comprising a first plurality of openings corresponding to at least a subset of the plurality of openings in the access structure, wherein the sealing element comprises a substantially flat surface that directly interfaces with a surface of the access structure, and wherein the sealing element is movable between a closed position in which the sealing element occludes each of the plurality of openings in the access structure, and a first open position where the first plurality of openings of the sealing element are in register with the at least a subset of the plurality of openings in the access structure, thereby providing access to the internal chamber of the enclosure via the plurality of openings passing through the access structure and, when the cell culture plate is supported therein, at least a subset of the plurality of wells of the cell culture plate.