Acquisitions - Consideration (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	Sep. 01, 2021	May 03, 2021	Mar. 19, 2021
Sexton Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Merger consideration shares (in shares)	530,502
BioLife stock price (in dollars per share)	$ 60.50
Value of issued shares	$ 32,095
plus: Fair value of BioLife’s existing investment in Sexton	7,951
less: Net working capital adjustment	(118)
Merger Consideration	$ 39,928
GCI Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Merger consideration shares (in shares)		6,636,470
BioLife stock price (in dollars per share)		$ 35.07
Value of issued shares		$ 232,741
Merger Consideration		$ 234,909
BioLife shares outstanding (as of March 19, 2021) (in shares)			33,401,359
Merger consideration percentage		19.90%
Merger consideration shares (in shares)		6,646,870
less: Merger consideration shares withheld to satisfy outstanding GCI stockholder obligations to GCI (in shares)		10,400
plus: Settlement of BioLife prepaid deposits		$ 2,152
plus: Net settlement of BioLife accounts receivable		$ 16