Automated system for producing induced pluripotent stem cells or differentiated cells

1 . An automated system for generating differentiated cells, comprising:

an automated system configured to perform banking for a plurality of cells obtained from one or more patients;

an automated cell plating unit configured to receive and place the banked cells on one or more plates;

an automated induction unit configured to differentiate cells by contacting the cells on the automated cell plating unit with differentiation factors to produce differentiated cells;

an automated enrichment unit configured to enrich the produced differentiated cells according to one or more characteristics thereof; and

a robotic rail configured to mechanically transport plates or containers between the automated system configured to perform banking, the automated cell plating unit, the automated induction unit, and the automated enrichment unit;

wherein the automated system comprises controller software having functionality to control automation of the induction unit and the enrichment unit.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated enrichment unit is configured to simultaneously process multiple samples in parallel.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an expansion unit for expanding the enriched differentiated cells, and selecting the expanded differentiated cells.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a freezing unit configured to freeze the enriched differentiated cells.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated induction unit uses a viral vector to initiate differentiation.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated induction unit uses small molecules, peptides, proteins or nucleic acids to initiate differentiation.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cell banking unit for obtaining differentiated cells used by the automated cell plating unit.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the cell banking unit comprises an outgrowth and passaging unit for growing cells.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the differentiated cells comprise hematopoietic stem cells, mononuclear cells, beta cells, muscle cells, cardiac muscle cells, liver cells, cartilage cells, epithelial cells, urinary tract cells, neuronal cells, or any combination thereof.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated system is configured to perform at least one of an ELISA based Mycoplasma test or luminescence assay.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells obtained from the plurality of patients comprise fibroblasts.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells obtained from the plurality of patients comprise mononuclear cells from blood.