Apparatus for mixing and disruption of cell and tissue samples in vessels

An apparatus for substantially horizontally oscillating one or more vessels containing a liquid, a solid, or a mixture thereof, comprising:

• a housing into which the one or more vessels are placed;
• one or more vessel supports having a compartment configured to hold each of the one or more vessels;
• a substantially circular rotating ring having a toothed inner circumference that rotates substantially horizontally about an axis, wherein the toothed inner circumference comes into contact with a radially outer portion of each of the one or more vessel supports, wherein the toothed inner circumference of the rotating ring causes substantially horizontal force on each of the one or more vessels when the toothed inner circumference comes into contact with the radially outer portion of each of the one or more vessel supports;
• and
• a spring, attached to the housing and in constant contact with each of the one or more vessel supports, wherein the spring provides continuous pressure on each of the one or more vessel supports against the toothed inner circumference of the rotating ring and counteracting the force exerted by the toothed inner circumference of the rotating ring, thus creating substantially horizontal displacements of each of the one or more vessel supports and each of the one or more vessels during the ring's rotation.