Apparatus for the combined incubation and vitrification of a biological material

An apparatus (100) for the combined incubation and vitrification of a viable biological material;

• said apparatus comprises:
• a housing (2) having an extension in a longitudinal direction (X) and an extension in a transversal direction (Y);
• said housing comprising:
• one or more culture dish compartments (4), each being adapted to accommodate one or more culture dishes (6) comprising a biological material, each said culture dish comprises one or more culture wells (8) for accommodating said biological material;
• wherein said apparatus comprises one or more image capturing devices (10) adapted to capture images of one or more of said biological material accommodated in said one or more culture dishes;
• wherein said apparatus comprises cryogenic means (12) for cooling at cryogenic temperatures of a biological material, said cryogenic means being arranged in a cryogenic area (14) at a different location relative to said one or more culture dish compartments (4);
• wherein said one or more culture dish compartments and said cryogenic area together defines an operational area (16);
• wherein said apparatus comprises one or more manipulation units (18), said one or more manipulation units each comprises one or more robotic arms (20), said one or more robotic arms being configured to grip and move elements and/or chemical/biological material within said operational area;
• wherein said apparatus comprises movement means (22), said movement means being configured to move said image capturing device relative to said culture dishes;
• wherein said apparatus comprises a control system (24) for controlling the operation thereof, wherein said control system being configured to allow a user to input predetermined operation protocol(s) to be followed by said apparatus;
• and wherein said control system being configured to control said apparatus according to said protocol(s).