The Automation Partnership (TAP) has announced the US release of Cell-IQ - a live cell observation and analysis system.
The automated system has applications in drug discovery and stem-cell research and will make its debut at Labautomation 2010 in Palm Springs, California.
Cell-IQ, developed by Finnish company Chip-Man Technologies, is already being successfully employed in universities and institutes across Europe and Asia and is now exclusively available via TAP in the US and Canada.
It consists of a cell-culture incubator, microscope, light source and high-resolution camera integrated to intelligent image-analysis software that automatically monitors, records and quantifies changes in cell morphology and distribution, without the need for labels or dyes.
The system allows cells grown in plates to be maintained under optimal growth conditions for days or weeks, maintaining imaging settings even when the plates are removed to change media.
Cell-IQ enables long-term walk-away observation and analysis, ensuring data of consistent quality with minimal user intervention.
