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24 October 2022 Simulation Modeling of a High-Throughput Oyster Cryopreservation Pathway
Sarah Bodenstein, Isabelina Nahmens, Terrence R. Tiersch
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

The genetic resources of oysters in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico are threatened due to high unexplained oyster mortality. Germplasm repositories are collections of cryopreserved genetic material stored alongside associated information that are used to protect genetics resources and facilitate breeding programs in agricultural industries. Therefore, there is great need for oyster repositories. Development of repositories has been slow despite research on high-throughput cryopreservation protocols because of logistical complexities. The goal of this study was to begin to address the gap between cryopreservation research and repository development in oyster aquaculture by modeling a cryopreservation protocol to understand and improve the process. The steps of a high-throughput cryopreservation protocol were defined and mapped in a process flow diagram. A simulation model was created using time study data, and key bottlenecks in the process were identified. Finally, model variations using alternate types of devices (tools or equipment) were created to address the identified bottlenecks. The model was found to accurately simulate the cryopreservation process. Parameters such as number of straws frozen per oyster, batch size, and number of operators significantly affected how the model performed and device choices produced substantial improvements. Simulation modeling has the potential to inform how cryopreservation pathways and repository systems in aquatic species should be structured and operated. There is ample opportunity for future work such as analyzing the impacts of production scale on cryopreservation processes.

Sarah Bodenstein, Isabelina Nahmens, and Terrence R. Tiersch "Simulation Modeling of a High-Throughput Oyster Cryopreservation Pathway," Journal of Shellfish Research 41(2), 209-221, (24 October 2022). https://doi.org/10.2983/035.041.0206
Published: 24 October 2022
KEYWORDS
cryopreservation
germplasm
oyster
repository
simulation model
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