Developing cell lines has traditionally been a lengthy and labor-intensive process. Identification of clonally derived cells, in particular, can take weeks for colonies to form, after which researchers manually work backwards, trudging through large numbers of images to locate and identify cells. This lab bottleneck diverts precious resources and manpower from higher-value tasks, delays the discovery of seeding problems, and adds potential for user bias.
But a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature within Advanced Instruments’ industry-leading Solentim Cell Metric® X cell imager can significantly streamline this laborious process for production of biologics, cell and gene therapies, viral vectors, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Designed for bioprocessing, the newly launched Cell Metric® X, includes an AI-driven Automated Evidence of Clonality (AEC) capability to automatically identify multiple cell types on day 0—saving hours of analysis per plate. AEC leverages high-resolution imaging to differentiate and identify cells and highlight their location, allowing the user to annotate and quickly accept or reject the whole well. Cell Metric® X can capture even the most challenging cell types in high definition, including translucent iPSCs.
A new, high-precision confluence scanning option, accurate within 5%, pinpoints the optimal timepoint for cell expansion, particularly important for iPSCs.
The automated clonality report function compiles images, time stamps, annotations, and comments as a solid record of evidence for confident FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) submissions.
Integration with STUDIUS provides consistent data management and analysis across the Solentim portfolio, from seeding on VIPS PRO, through clonal imaging on Cell Metric® X to productivity using the ICON.
Cell Metric® X also provides the same high-quality, high-contrast, brightfield imaging that is synonymous with Cell Metric. User-friendly features carried over from its predecessor include the high-throughput, ten-position plate stacker; automation-ready robotic access via flexible API and barcode reader; edge-of-well imaging for optimal single-cell detection; and compatibility with the VIPS PRO for double-lock of monoclonality assurance.
“Cell Metric® X is a remarkable step forward from Cell Metric—a trusted standard in clonal assurance for over ten years,” says Byron Selman, CEO of Advanced Instruments. “Our customers have been constrained by labor-intensive image analysis for too long.”
For streamlined workflows and confident IND submissions, Cell Metric® X combines unmatched efficiency and imaging quality with the latest breakthroughs in AI-driven cell identification and analysis.