Aspects relate to an automated cell culture incubator and to methods for using such an incubator. In one aspect, the cell culture incubator includes an incubator cabinet having a transfer chamber and an internal chamber that are arranged to form an airlock configuration. In some embodiments, objects placed into the incubator cabinet are sterilized using ozone produced by an ozone generator. The incubator may include one or more transfer devices that move objects between the transfer chamber and the internal chamber.