At-a-Glance:
| Company |
MycoFog |
|---|
| Specialties |
Decontamination instrumentation |
|---|
| Mission |
To simplify bio-decontamination tasks for laboratory incubators, gloveboxes and closed cell culture workstations in the most economical and efficient manner. |
|---|
| Noteworthy |
Company aims to penetrate 10% of all cell culture labs by 2028. |
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| Location |
San Diego, CA |
|---|
| CCO |
Samir Patel |
|---|
MycoFog provides a practical solution for cell culture labs to simplify bio-decontamination tasks for laboratory incubators, gloveboxes, and closed cell culture workstations. The company traces its roots to a user query to Chris Shumate, CEO and founder of Etaluma, which manufactures Lumascope digital microscopes designed for use inside incubators and hypoxia chambers. The astute customer asked Shumate how to ensure that putting the Lumascope into an incubator did not cause contamination? While the microscope's exterior surfaces are resistant to lab alcohol and bleach—making spraying and wiping a viable initial approach—this conversation sparked deeper reflection on decontamination challenges.
Shumate recognized alcohol's shortcomings, particularly its ineffectiveness against fungal spores. Drawing from the expanding use of vaporized hydrogen peroxide in laboratory and industrial settings, he began exploring ways to adapt this technology for microscopes and incubators alike. After prototyping ideas for generating vapor within enclosed chambers, the MycoFog concept emerged, emphasizing ease, effectiveness, and economy. Colleagues Randy Engler and Samir Patel joined Shumate in forming MycoFog, an Etaluma company, and turning the vision into a functional reality.
This foundation resulted in MycoFog's core product line: H2O2 foggers, ready-to-use reagents with long shelf life and room-temperature storage, and proprietary biological indicators. The flagship MycoFog Biodecontamination Fogger operates on battery power with a piezo-driven mechanism, nebulizing hydrogen peroxide into a fine fog that diffuses evenly to reach complex surfaces without leaving residue. Available models cater to different chamber sizes—the MF-2D handles volumes under 500 L, while the MF-500D addresses 500-1200 L spaces. Both share compact dimensions (130 mm diameter x 100 mm high), ABS+Polycarbonate materials, low 2W power draw, and a 2000 mAh battery capacity. Starter kits, like MF-2D-SK-1Bx or MF-500D-SK-4Bx, bundle the fogger with pre-dosed reagent bottles.
Operation is straightforward. Users pour reagent into the reservoir, position the fogger inside the sealed chamber, and press start—a 2-second hold prevents accidents, followed by a 12-second delay for safety. The fog emits from the mist port, and cycles run 180-300 minutes with auto-shutoff. Ideal for labs that use cell culture or microbiological incubators, MycoFog can be found in university and academic labs, hospital labs, private biotech cell and tissue engineering labs, and food, brewing, and beverage labs.
MycoFog prioritizes two key messages: providing quality decontamination instrumentation at affordable prices, and maintaining a totally customer-focused approach. These principles are also reflected in MycoFog’s ambitions, including penetrating 10% of all cell culture labs by 2028.