Importance

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for collecting and preserving biological specimens, such as human and animal tissues, cell types and subcellular materials for biobanking cryopreservation, comprising the steps of i) placing said specimen in a cooling fluid pre-set at a first predetermined temperature of between −10° C. and −60° C. for snap freezing—i.e. rapidly freezing—the specimen, and ii) reducing the temperature of said cooling fluid to a second predetermined temperature suitable for preserving said specimen. The reduction of the temperature in step ii) is performed by a predetermined cooling profile. The invention is further directed to an apparatus (1, 100) for collecting and preserving biological specimens such as human and animal tissues, cell types and subcellular materials for biobanking cryopreservation, comprising a receiving means (2) for receiving a cooling fluid and said specimen, and cooling means (5) to cool said fluid in said receiving means (2). The apparatus (1, 100) further comprises a controller (10) configured to i) keep the temperature of said cooling fluid at a first predetermined temperature of between −10° C. and −60° C. for snap freezing—i.e. rapidly freezing—said specimen when said specimen is placed in said receiving means (2) containing said cooling fluid, and ii) reduce the temperature of said cooling fluid to a second predetermined temperature suitable for preserving said specimen with a predetermined cooling profile.

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First Claim