Enhanced software to meet the increasing demands of high throughput cellular screening is compatible with 24 to 1536-well systems
To meet the increasing demands of high throughput cellular screening environments, Acumen Bioscience has significantly enhanced its Explorer HTS software.
Together with plate robot compatibility, 24 to 1536-well format, and throughput enhancements, Explorer provides a technology platform with true capabilities from assay development to primary and secondary screening.
With the newly enhanced Acumen Explorer systems, users can quickly develop and perform assays without resorting to purpose designed algorithms.
The upgraded software package (version 2.3) and the robust Explorer platform technologies bring premium information from every microplate well, direct to the user.
Behind the Explorer laser-scanning technology is a combination of a 488nm argon ion laser, precision optics and multiple photomultiplier tube detectors.
The Explorer HTS hardware now has enhanced data acquisition, whole well scanning with sub-micron resolution and four-channel simultaneous detection enabling rapid detection and quantification of all fluorescent objects in every well of the microtitre plate. "Acumen's software upgrade means automated, rapid assays that transfer seamlessly into HTS.
The additional cell morphology-based measurements and automatic cell population identifier of the version 2.3 software are also rather impressive," commented Frank Oehlenschlager, head of screening for Aventis France.
Richard Philpott, Acumen's managing director, added, "Our Explorer HTS platform is in regular use at a number of pharma/biotech companies, including Aventis Pharma at Vitry Sur Seine, with its lectin-binding assay." Overall, Aventis screened 365,000 compounds using a 384-well format assay.
The multiplexing capabilities of the Explorer facilitated a cost/time saving by exclusion of toxic compounds (20%) and auto fluorescent/quenching compounds (10%) during the primary screen.
High quality data and confirmation rates were also generated." Uniquely, the Explorer laser collects data from the entire area of each well.
High quality, high content data is available within minutes.
Area-based scanning allows practically all SBS plate types to be used. Explorer enables the user to scan the whole well or a specific part of a well as applications demand.
In this way, cellular distribution throughout the well area can be assessed.
Version 2.3 software has a single focus position for each commonly used plate type.
If a more unusual plate type is employed, other focus positions can be programmed in.
This means no focussing or re-focussing is required during routine assays or screens. Improved data handling is also afforded by the reduction in file size, which means easier file storage.
