An apparatus and a method for cryopreserving a plurality of cellular samples are disclosed. The apparatus may include a cooling chamber and a cooling device that may include a mechanism to cool an interior of the cooling chamber. The cooling device may further include cooling tubes that are separate from the mechanism to cool the interior of the cooling chamber and that are arranged within the cooling chamber. The cooling device may provide a flow of refrigerant through the cooling tubes and a support for supporting a plurality of vials for storing cellular samples. The support may be movable relative to the cooling tubes such that the plurality of vials may be engageable with the cooling tubes.