CRYOPRESERVATION COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS INCLUDING GLYCEROL ESTER COMPONENTS

1 . A cryopreservation process comprising:

combining a cryopreservation composition with a biological sample, wherein the cryopreservation composition comprises at least one glycerol ester component; and then

cooling the cryopreservation composition with the biological sample to a cryopreservation temperature, wherein the cryopreservation composition aids in cryopreserving the biological sample at the cryopreservation temperature.

2 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 further comprising incubating the biological sample in the cryopreservation composition for a predetermined incubation time between the combining and the cooling.

3 . The cryopreservation process of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined incubation time is in the range of two hours to eight hours.

4 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 further comprising heating the biological sample from the cryopreservation temperature after the step of cooling.

5 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 , wherein the cooling occurs at a rate selected to maintain cryopreservation of the biological sample.

6 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample comprises a plurality of cells.

7 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample comprises a protein.

8 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample comprises a nucleic acid.

9 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample comprises a plasmid.

10 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least one nanoparticle comprising the at least one glycerol ester component.

11 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least one microparticle comprising the at least one glycerol ester component.

12 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 , wherein the cryopreservation temperature is a temperature in the range of −20° C. to −200° C.

13 . The cryopreservation process of claim 1 , wherein the at least one glycerol ester component comprises at least one glycerol-sebacate component.

14 . A cryopreservation composition comprising cell culture media containing at least one glycerol ester component.

15 . The cryopreservation composition of claim 14 , wherein the at least one glycerol ester component comprises at least one glycerol-sebacate component.

16 . The cryopreservation composition of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one glycerol ester component has a molecular weight in the range of 200 Da to 1200 Da.

17 . The cryopreservation composition of claim 14 further comprising at least one modification to the at least one glycerol ester component, wherein the at least one modification is covalently attached to the glycerol ester component and the at least one modification is selected from the group consisting of a urethane, an acrylate, an amino acid, a peptide, a fatty acid, a diacid smaller than sebacic acid, a multifunctional acid, a sugar, a cholesterol, a vitamin, or a combination thereof.

18 . A cryopreserved system comprising a biological sample in a cryopreservation composition at a cryopreservation temperature, wherein the cryopreservation composition comprises at least one glycerol ester component.

19 . The cryopreserved system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one glycerol ester component comprises at least one glycerol-sebacate component.

20 . The cryopreserved system of claim 18 , wherein the cryopreservation temperature is a temperature in the range of −20° C. to −200° C.