MekGer

2010

A servo motor controlled system for applying strain on cells, which can be fine tuned in amplitude and frequency via a touch-screen remote interface.
Mechanical stress underlies many diseases and studying it on a quantitative scale is toilsome. MekGer is biocompatible for direct in-situ cell culturing on the 12 independent flasks. Cells  are propagated on the liquid silicone membrane which can be strained to its max. 120% to mimic a mechanical stress environment. The amplitude and frequency of strain cycle are adjustable between 101-200%  and  0.1-2Hz, respectively. The device is suitable for functioning in 100% humidity and hot environment and optically correct for real time monitoring of cell status through a reversed phase contrast microscope. ​

This project is supported by a TUBITAK 1002 program with collaboration of Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine.