Sartorius Ambr® 250 Modular Bioreactor

The Ambr® 250 Modular is an expandable, benchtop bioreactor system designed for parallel process development in microbial fermentation and mammalian cell culture. Utilizing 100–250 mL single-use vessels, the system provides a scalable model that mimics larger stirred-tank bioreactors while simplifying laboratory workflows.

 

System Overview and Design

• Modular Architecture: The system consists of a central control module and independent bioreactor stations. It is expandable from 2 to 8 bioreactors, allowing labs to increase capacity as project needs grow.

• Single-Use Technology: Vessels are fully integrated with sensors, five reagent reservoirs, and precision syringe pumps. This design eliminates the need for autoclaving, cleaning, and assembly of complex tubing, significantly reducing turnaround time and contamination risks.

• “Easy Connect” Installation: A three-step process (slot in, clamp, and connect pH) allows for rapid vessel setup, typically completed in minutes.

 

Technical Specifications

• Working Volume: 100 mL to 250 mL.

• Agitation: Variable speeds from 100 to 4,500 rpm. Motor control is optimized for both high-speed microbial processes and gentle mixing required for sensitive cell lines.

• Temperature Control: Individual heating and cooling per bioreactor, with a range of 18°C to 55°C. Post-culture chilling can reach 6°C to 8°C.

• Gas Management: Independent headspace and sparge gassing. Each vessel features mass flow controlled gassing for O2, CO2, N2, or air.

• Integrated Pumping:

  • Syringe Pumps: Five high-precision positive displacement pumps per vessel (flow rates: 0–20 mL/hr).

  • Peristaltic Pump: One fast-loading pump per vessel for rapid feeding or harvesting.

• Sensing and Analytics:

  • Disposable pH electrode (range: 2–8.5).

  • Spot-based Dissolved Oxygen (DO) sensor (range: 0–200%).

  • Optional off-gas analysis for real-time CO2 and O2 monitoring (OUR/CER data).

 

Specialized Vessel Configurations

• Microbial Vessels: Equipped with dual Rushton impellers and baffles for high oxygen transfer rates (kLa).

• Mammalian Vessels: Feature dual pitched-blade impellers and baffles for balanced mixing and aeration.

• Cell and Gene Therapy (Unbaffled) Vessels: Designed without baffles and with a large pitched-blade impeller to provide gentle, sediment-free mixing for microcarriers and cell aggregates.

 

Software and Productivity

• Intuitive Interface: Controlled via a touchscreen, the software allows for real-time monitoring and adjustment of all process parameters.

• Data Analysis: Includes applications for process definition (drag-and-drop), a historian for audit trails and recipe analysis, and a results viewer for comparing data across different experimental runs.

• Scalability: The geometric similarity to larger Sartorius Biostat® systems ensures that process parameters optimized in the Ambr® 250 Modular can be directly transitioned to pilot and production scales (up to 2,000 L).

 

Primary Applications

• Biopharma R&D: Upstream process development and optimization.

• Cell and Gene Therapy: Scaling media and supplement optimization for HEK293, CAR-T, and stem cell lines.

• Quality by Design (QbD): Conducting process robustness and characterization studies.

• Vaccine Development: Titer optimization and process transfer.