bit.bio to showcase its ioCRISPR-Ready CellsTM products at the SLAS 2024 international conference and exhibition

bit.bio, the company coding human cells for novel cures, will showcase recent data and important applications of its new portfolio of ioCRISPR-Ready Cells at the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) conference. SLAS will take place from 3-7 February 2024 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. 

With our ioCRISPR-Ready Cells, we're providing scientists with a powerful functional genomics tool to study any gene of interest in a defined human iPSC-derived cell system. Gene knockout experiments such as CRISPR screens that would previously require substantial time and specialised skills can now be undertaken in weeks by scientists with all levels of experience. We are excited to share these data at SLAS and to discuss the tremendous potential that this product range offers.

Dr. Farah Patell-Socha, VP research products, bit.bio

At SLAS, the team will present posters on two ioCRISPR-Ready Cells products, confirming their ease of use and that they generate readouts within days using a simple protocol for cell maturation and guide RNA delivery: 

• CRISPR-Ready ioGlutamatergic Neurons: a functional genomics tool to easily generate disease-specific models for drug discovery and development. Poster Session C, Tuesday 6 February, 12-1pm. Track: Assay Development and Screening. This product was launched by bit.bio in October 2023. 
• CRISPR knockout screening for drug target identification and validation using CRISPR-Ready ioMicroglia. Poster Session D, Tuesday 6 February, 2-3 pm. Track: Cellular Technologies. This is the next product in the ioCRISPR-Ready Cells range that will launch in 2024. 

ioCRISPR-Ready Cells are iPSC-derived human cells containing a constitutively-expressed Cas9 nuclease. They arrive ready to use and with simple protocols, allowing high gene knockout efficiencies and functional experimental readouts in a physiologically relevant cellular model in days, significantly reducing experimental timelines. ioCRISPR-Ready Cells can also be scaled to high-throughput pooled or arrayed CRISPR screens. Potential applications include functional genomics, disease model generation, drug target identification and fundamental human biology research. 

All bit.bio ioCells^TM products, including ioCRISPR-Ready Cells, are precision reprogrammed using bit.bio’s opti-ox^TM technology. As such, they are defined as human cells that have inherent experimental scalability, offer unparallelled consistency and are simple to handle and culture.

At SLAS, bit.bio will host an expert panel discussion on the vital role of functional genomics in early drug discovery. The panel discussion will cover the urgent need for predictive models in target identification, specific challenges across different fields such as oncology and neuroscience, and the trade-offs involved in using different cell models and different techniques for CRISPR screening. 

• Speakers: 
  • Rob Howes, PhD - Head of Discovery Sciences UK at Charles River Laboratories
  • Davide Gianni, PhD - Senior Director Functional Genomics, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca
  • Josh Tycko, PhD - Research Fellow in Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School
  • Ann Byrne, PhD - Functional Genomics at bit.bio
• Date and time: Tuesday 3rd February 8:30 am - 10:00 am ET, room 104B 

CRISPR-Ready ioGlutamatergic Neurons^TM have been shortlisted for the SelectScience “Best New Drug Discovery & Development Product”. The winner will be announced at SLAS. 

The bit.bio stand and members of the team will be at location 881 in the exhibition hall.