Refrigerated carrier device for biological samples

An apparatus, comprising:

• a container including an inner shell and outer shell, the inner shell defining a storage compartment with an opening, the outer shell being disposed adjacent to the inner shell and defining a region between the inner shell and the outer shell;
• a phase change material disposed within the region between the inner shell and the outer shell and configured to remove heat from the storage compartment;
• an insulated cap configured to be coupled to the container and to a sample loader, the insulated cap including a gate configured to be engaged by an adapter of the sample loader to transition the gate between a closed configuration in which the gate seals the opening, and an open configuration in which the gate unseals the opening;
• and
• a biasing member disposed within the storage compartment, the biasing member configured to bias the gate into the closed configuration.

An insulated cap configured to be coupled to a container and to a sample loader such that the sample loader can load a sample into a storage compartment of the container via the insulated cap, the insulated cap comprising:

• an access port extending therethrough;
• and
• a gate configured to be engaged by an adapter of the sample loader operable to transition the gate between a closed configuration in which the gate seals the access port;
• and an open configuration in which the gate unseals the access port, thereby allowing a sample to be transferred through the access port and into the storage compartment of the container when the insulated cap is coupled to the container.