Motivating Exploration in Science via Universally Accessible Bioreactors
Abstract
In many developing countries, lab funds and resources are incredibly limited. To further define these limitations, a group of researchers from ETSU visited a biology lab in a university abroad in a developing country. While there, these researchers recognized an issue—there was no sum of funds large enough to purchase a full standard 7 L bioreactor, and there wasn’t enough space or manpower to run a full incubation and biological safety cabinet treatment system for their active cell biomes. From this, the idea was inspired to build the 1L Universal Bioreactor—one that had fully open-sourced coding and could be built out of hardware from Amazon only, making the purchasing realm extend to over 100 countries globally. This work is incredibly significant to many small universities because it may provide them with the opportunity to monitor temperature and pH of their cell colony in less than 1 cubit foot of space. In the approach to research, it was planned primarily for a very simple method of use. Everything is built to reduce noise, control resistance, and take up limited space—all confined to one small piece of wood. Arduino Uno R4 Wi-Fi and the Sunfounder breadboard pack were both utilized to build an easily approachable system that someone with very little circuitry knowledge could figure out with little to no research. Overall, success was found with a 1L mason jar that reads temperature and pH, reacting with a flow of hot water as the water becomes too cold. This will be very beneficial to universities in partnership with East Tennessee State University that will be receiving our schematics and blueprints in the near future.
Start Time
15-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 4:30 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Poster Number
52
Presentation Type
Poster
Student Type
Undergraduate Student
Faculty Mentor
Richard Prince
Motivating Exploration in Science via Universally Accessible Bioreactors
Culp Ballroom 316
In many developing countries, lab funds and resources are incredibly limited. To further define these limitations, a group of researchers from ETSU visited a biology lab in a university abroad in a developing country. While there, these researchers recognized an issue—there was no sum of funds large enough to purchase a full standard 7 L bioreactor, and there wasn’t enough space or manpower to run a full incubation and biological safety cabinet treatment system for their active cell biomes. From this, the idea was inspired to build the 1L Universal Bioreactor—one that had fully open-sourced coding and could be built out of hardware from Amazon only, making the purchasing realm extend to over 100 countries globally. This work is incredibly significant to many small universities because it may provide them with the opportunity to monitor temperature and pH of their cell colony in less than 1 cubit foot of space. In the approach to research, it was planned primarily for a very simple method of use. Everything is built to reduce noise, control resistance, and take up limited space—all confined to one small piece of wood. Arduino Uno R4 Wi-Fi and the Sunfounder breadboard pack were both utilized to build an easily approachable system that someone with very little circuitry knowledge could figure out with little to no research. Overall, success was found with a 1L mason jar that reads temperature and pH, reacting with a flow of hot water as the water becomes too cold. This will be very beneficial to universities in partnership with East Tennessee State University that will be receiving our schematics and blueprints in the near future.
