BioCision to Present at the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories Annual Meeting

LARKSPUR, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BioCision LLC, a leader in advanced temperature management of biomedical samples, today announced the presentation of data supporting the need for standardization in stem cell cryopreservation at the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on May 15-18, 2012.

The lack of standardization in sample handling, processing and viable long-term storage remains one of the greatest challenges facing repositories of biological and environmental specimens today. Acknowledgement by the scientific community that inherent error exists in widely used sample handling protocols has increased the focus of innovative technologies aimed at standardizing processes.

"ISBER is the leading international organization dedicated to fostering innovation in the biobanking and repository community," said Rolf Ehrhardt, BioCision CEO. "We are honored to be recognized as a leader in this space, and look forward to broadening the conversation about appropriate sample handling during the Innovative Technologies program at this year's conference."

The following presentations will be made during today's conference proceedings:

• Innovative Technologies - Novel Standardized Alcohol-Free Cell Cryopreservation Method Results in Dramatically Higher Human Embryonic Stem Cell Proliferation (Rolf O. Ehrhardt, BioCision, LLC., Larkspur, CA) ? Successful cryopreservation of stem cells requires that the cells be handled in a proper fashion for harvesting with equipment in place to ensure consistency and reproducibility while maintaining the stem cells in an undifferentiated state. Ehrhardt will discuss research findings that show BioCision's CoolCell® method of cryopreservation imposes less stress upon human embryonic stem cells compared to other cryopreservation methods, resulting in significantly improved post-thaw stem cell proliferation and viability. (Wednesday , May 16 ? 11:55 AM ? 12:05 PM)
• Interactive Roundtable Discussion - New technology for controlled-rate freezing in cryopreservation (Dr. Ian Pope, Coreus Consulting Group, Core Cryolab Inc., and Brian Schryver, with Dr. Maria Thompson, BioCision, LLC., Larkspur, CA) ? Standardization within cryopreservation protocols is becoming of greater importance as regulatory oversight and the concept of "best practice" drives process improvements within research repositories. Dr. Ian Pope, Brian Schyver (VP Product Development) and Dr. Maria Thompson (VP Scientific Affairs) will chair this roundtable discussion on new technologies and materials available to create demonstrable reproducibility within cryopreservation protocols as it pertains to freezing, sample handling and storage. (Wednesday, May 16 ? 2:00 PM- 3:00 PM)
• Poster - Novel Alcohol-Free Cell Cryopreservation Method Results in Higher Human Embryonic Stem Cell Viability and Function (Schryver et al., #CCP02) ? The abstract for this poster presentation was published in last month's issue of Biopreservation and Biobanking, the official scientific journal of ISBER. Human stem cells are difficult to obtain and hard to culture in vitro, therefore, adequate and reliable methods to cryopreserve these cells for short and long-term storage is vital. Current benchtop methods of cryopreservation include isopropyl alcohol containers and less controlled and less standardized methods using polysterene boxes or towels. BioCision's CoolCell freezing container outperforms the existing methods by demonstrating improved post-thaw cell recovery and function. This method of bench-top controlled-rate freezing of cells provides an important, more economical alternative for the standardization of cell cryopreservation. (Wednesday, May 16 ? 3:00 PM ? 4:30 PM)

For more information about BioCision and the company's full line of sample standardization products, please visit www.biocision.com.

About BioCision

BioCision's mission is to standardize pre-analytical sample handling. BioCision develops novel products that eliminate variability in common, often-overlooked, laboratory procedures. The products are marketed globally and are widely used by the leading institutions in the biotech, pharmaceutical, clinical, diagnostic, academic and government scientific community. BioCision's products include CoolRack®, CoolSink? and ThermalTray? laboratory tube and plate temperature standardizing modules, CoolBox? ice-free benchtop coolers, CoolCell® alcohol-free cell freezing containers and TruCool? accessories and consumables.