Apparatus for microscopic worm observation

A microscopic worm culture and observation apparatus, comprising a support structure, one or more chip holders mounted on the support structure, a pump and a valve system, each chip holder configured for holding a microfluidic chip having one or more microfluidic channels and culture chambers therein extending between a pump side coupling of the microfluidic chip and a reservoir side coupling of the microfluidic chip, the support structure comprising a reservoirs support platform and a movable table, the reservoirs support platform being mounted on the movable table, the reservoirs support platform configured for holding a plurality of nutrition reservoirs for containing microscopic worms or nutrients and substances to be tested in a liquid, the chip holder and/or microfluidic chips comprising 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, wherein the support structure comprises an enclosure forming a chamber within which the one or more chip holders and the reservoirs support platform is housed, and a temperature control unit and a temperature sensor for control of the temperature within the chamber, the enclosure comprising an openable or removable cover allowing access to the inside of the enclosure, and wherein the movable table is coupled to an oscillator mechanism configured to impart an oscillation movement to the reservoir support platform in a horizontal plane by an amplitude less than a diameter of the nutrient reservoir.