Pressure BioSciences Releases New High-Pressure Instrument System

South Easton, Mass.-based Pressure BioSciences Inc. has released the Barocycler HUB880, the newest addition to its line of high-pressure instrument systems. The device will be showcased at the upcoming U.S. Human Proteome Organization’s 110th Annual Conference to be held in Seattle, Wash. in April.

The Barocycler HUB880 is an automated, computer-controlled, bench-top, ultra-high pressure instrument designed to have a safe and reproducible operating range from approximately 1,000 psi to approximately 100,000 psi (about 7,000 times normal atmospheric pressure). The company believes that these features will make the Barocycler HUB880 an instrument of choice for a broad range of studies that can utilize the special effects of ultra-high pressure on biological and other samples.

According to company estimates, there are approximately 500,000 scientists worldwide working with biological samples, such as animal, plant, microbial, and human cells. These cells, and the biomolecules that constitute them (e.g., proteins, lipids, DNA) have historically been controlled (i.e. modified, inactivated, manipulated etc.) using temperature and chemicals. However, studies have shown that cells/biomolecules also respond to specific levels of pressure in unique and reproducible ways.

“The unique capabilities of the Barocycler HUB880 will allow us to explore ‘invisible’ states of proteins—that is, protein states not detectable at normal atmospheric pressure but only at ultra-high pressure,” said Wayne L. Hubbell, Ph.D., distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry and Jules Stein professor of ophthalmology at University of California-Los Angeles. “We are excited by this possibility since these invisible states are very likely important to protein structure and function and may reveal new targets for future drug design.”

“Our existing high pressure instruments, with upper pressure limits ranging from 35,000 to 58,000 psi, satisfy very important needs in today’s demanding research environment,” said Nathan P. Lawrence, Ph.D., vice president of sales and marketing for Pressure BioSciences. “As such, we believe the sales increases observed in 2013 with our HUB440, NEP2320, NEP3229, and Constant Systems instruments and consumables will continue into 2014, and will be augmented with sales from the new additions to our product line.”

“We also believe that the enhancements built into the new Barocycler HUB880 instrument system—most especially the increased upper pressure limit of 100,000 psi—will allow researchers to extend their high pressure studies well beyond where they are today,” Lawrence added. “This will allow them, for the very first time, to safely investigate the benefits of ultra-high pressure (60,000 psi and above) in a number of new, yet to be tried, biological, chemical, material, and industrial sciences applications. We are particularly excited that the HUB880 can reach pressures sufficient to kill most pathogenic and food-borne bacteria. We believe this capability may allow the HUB880 to play an important role in additional vaccine, diagnostic, therapeutic, and food safety research, which we believe will result in a continued increase in the number of high pressure instrument systems and consumables sold in 2014 and beyond.”

Pressure BioSciences makes proprietary laboratory instrumentation and associated consumables based on its platform technology.