Santiago Fontana and Marina Conrad, 4th year Biomedical Engineering students of the Universidad Austral, They developed a functional and low-cost cell shaker, specially designed to fit the equipment of the BioLab of the Faculty of Engineering.
The project arose from a proposal by the Director of the program, Ignacio Cassol, who invited students to join various technical challenges with real impact. One of them was the creation of a cell shaker, a key piece of equipment in laboratories for the growth of bacterial cultures. These devices agitate the culture liquids to keep the cells in suspension, improving their oxygenation and thus facilitating more efficient growth.
The commercially available cell shakers presented two major obstacles: they were too large to fit in the laboratory incubator, and their cost was very high (around $500.000). Faced with this, Marina and Santiago decided to build one themselves, with a total budget of just $50.000.
The process of building the agitator was a clear example of the application of the knowledge acquired during the degree. The Digital Electronics course was key, as it provided them with the necessary tools to work with microcontrollers. These devices, which function as mini-computers, allow the various components of the agitator—such as the screen, buttons, and motor—to be controlled by electrical impulses.
The students programmed a code with specific instructions for each component, thus giving "life" to the device. They configured the system so that the motor would agitate the containers overnight, achieving continuous movement of the culture liquid.
“This way, the liquid rises up the walls of the container, increasing contact with oxygen, which is essential for bacterial growth,” Santiago explains.
The physical design of the shaker was the responsibility of Marina Conrad, who used a 3D printer to create a structure that was not only functional and comfortable to use, but also fit perfectly into the small space of the Biolab incubator.
The device created is also part of another academic project, in which the students had the complex task of creating a company. This is how the idea for a startup dedicated to designing low-cost laboratory equipment for educational institutions, which do not always require the sophistication of commercial equipment, was born.
“There are many training and research spaces that don't require extreme rigor, but can't access equipment due to its high cost. We want to fill that gap with accessible and efficient solutions,” explain.
With creativity, applied knowledge and an entrepreneurial outlook, Marina and Santiago demonstrated that innovation can also emerge from the classroom.
Bat-cell, as the device is nicknamed within the laboratory, is a testament to the ingenuity, dedication, and social commitment of the Biomedical Engineering students at the Universidad Austral. It is also a reflection of the impact of university education: ideas that solve real problems and propose a change in the scientific and educational world.
