Sphere Fluidics and Peak Analysis and Automation introduce integrated micro-plate handling and single cell analysis capabilities

Sphere Fluidics, a company commercializing single cell analysis systems underpinned by its patented picodroplet technology, and Peak Analysis and Automation (PAA), a leading supplier of intelligent laboratory automation solutions, today announced the optimization of the Cyto-Mine^® Single Cell Analysis System through integration with PAA’s automated plate handler, S-LAB™. The addition of S-LAB to the Cyto-Mine provides researchers with a further streamlined solution for single cell analysis in biopharmaceutical workflows.

Cyto-Mine^® Single Cell Analysis System (right) integrated with S-LAB™ automated plate handler (left). Image credit: Sphere Fluidics

Combining automated micro-plate handling with the Cyto-Mine offers a simple solution to minimize hands-on involvement and reduce timelines in antibody discovery and cell line development. By replacing manual barcode scanning of multi-well microtiter plates and plate loading in the final picodroplet dispensing phase of the Cyto-Mine, the integration of S-LAB increases user flexibility, overall throughput and efficiency. The integrated system combines single cell screening, sorting, imaging, isolation and clone verification, and can process up to 40 million heterogenous mammalian cells in a few hours. It has a small footprint to enable use in a cell culture hood, which, coupled with the de-lidding capability of S-LAB, ensures that the processed cells remain sterile.

The launch follows the announcement of Sphere Fluidics and PAA’s collaboration in January 2019, and consolidates 10 months of research optimizing the communication between both devices. PAA has utilized the flexible application programming interface (API) of the Cyto-Mine Studio Software Suite to communicate easily with S-LAB across a range of analytical cellular procedures, offering a simple add-on for Cyto-Mine users.

Dr Rob Marchmont, VP of Sales and Marketing, Sphere Fluidics, commented:

Peak Analysis and Automation has a strong reputation as a trusted supplier of lab automation solutions, hence our decision to partner with the team to support our customers’ requirements for a complete, automated workflow. The integration of our Cyto-Mine with PAA’s S-LAB gives customers the freedom and flexibility to incorporate both instruments into multiple workflows, to further reduce their biopharmaceutical timelines. We will continue to work with PAA to further the opportunities in the synergy of our technologies.”

Dr Malcolm Crook, Technical Director, Peak Analysis and Automation, said:

This collaboration illustrates S-LAB’s cost-effectiveness and ease of use, in addition to its adaptability to different scientific applications. We look forward to our continued partnership with Sphere Fluidics to bring automated solutions to customers across a broad range of processes.”

The Cyto-Mine and S-LAB will be on display at Sphere Fluidics’ booth (D8) at ELRIG Drug Discovery from 5–6 November in Liverpool (PAA at Booth F3). Dr Zoe Nilsson, Sphere Fluidics’ Global Product Marketing Manager, will also be presenting ‘A Revolutionary Platform for Single Cell Analysis in Drug Discovery’ on 6 November at 12:45 pm in the ‘Biomarker Strategies in Drug Discovery’ track.