A lighting apparatus (10) for a bioreactor including a plurality of coloured light emitting diodes (11) mounted on a support (21), the number and colour of the light emitting diodes chosen to provide predetermined spectral wavelengths and an optical device (13) to transmit the emitted light to a biological material to enhance the growth rates of said biological material including plants, flora and some species of bacteria and algae； wherein the support (21) is further mounted on two plates (17, 18) on support legs (15) serving as terminals to provide electrical power to the light emitting diodes. A bioreactor (not illustrated) is also disclosed which includes a rigid core, an outer growth containment portion, a lower end portion and an upper end cap, wherein the outer containment portion expands as a cellular biological material contained in said portion grows and expands.
