High Content Screening
High content screening (HCS) attempts to bridge the gap between microscopy and cytometry, providing both large quantities of statically useful and phenotypically rich data. HCS combines automated microscopy with customizable algorithms able to detect and quantify many different types of phenotypic information in both fixed and living cultured cells. The Perkin Elmer Operetta HCS system combines automated imaging with advanced Harmony HCS software, which contains many common algorithms such as nuclei and cell detection, as well as the ability to automatically detect complex phenotypes through machine learning.
Customer benefits
We have SOPs and ISO9001 certification. We also have specialist technicians for the use of the equipment.
This service is essential to:
- Fast and statistically robust toxicity assays using adherent cells with the advantage of being able to visually confirm cell morphology.
- Drug dose-response curve calculation: On a single plate, multiple concentrations or combinations of compounds can be easily and quickly tested.
- Screening for specific phenotypes in cultured cells using libraries of small molecules, siRNAs, or other biologically-active collections.
- Screening for complex phenotypes: many cytological effects cannot be detected easily by cytometry Operetta allows complex phenotypes (eg organelle distribution or cell organization changes) to be detected automatically and reliably.
- Long-term cell culture studies: Operetta is equipped with temperature and CO2 control, making it suitable for maintaining live cultured cells in optimal conditions during image acquisition.
Target customer
Any company or research group interested in:
- High content screening design and setup advice The most important step in performing a successful HCS screen is good experimental design and planning.
- Experimental validation and pilot study testing For more complex projects, it is essential to perform preliminary tests to identify possible problems with labeling, marker expression, cell morphology, and other sources of variability before expending valuable time and reagents.
- Custom experiments and HCS analysis design: we can design both assays and custom automatic image analysis pipelines using the Harmony platform based on your requirements.
- Integrated cytotoxicity testing service We have developed robust protocols from the incubation of cultured cells with test compounds to measuring cytotoxic responses at different time points Different criteria such as plasma membrane integrity, metabolic activity, or intracellular esterase activity can be chosen depending on experimental requirements.
References
- E. Gómez-González, C. Caro, M.L. García-Martín, A.I. Becerro,* M Ocaña. Outstanding MRI contrast with Dysprosium phosphate Nanoparticles of tuneable size. Nanoscale 2022, 14, 11461-11470. doi: 10.1039/D2NR02630A
- Caro C, Guzzi C, Moral-Sánchez I, Urbano-Gámez JD, Beltrán AM, García-Martín ML. Smart Design of ZnFe and ZnFe@Fe Nanoparticles for MRI-Tracked Magnetic Hyperthermia Therapy: Challenging Classical Theories of Nanoparticles Growth and Nanomagnetism. Adv Healthc Mater. 2024 Feb 2:e2304044. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202304044. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38303644.