CytoTronics, Inc., a leading figure in semiconductor-based platforms for cell biology research, has introduced a groundbreaking semiconductor platform poised to transform high-throughput phenotypic screening in drug discovery. Recently published in Nature Communications as “A Semiconductor 96-Microplate Platform for Electrical-Imaging Based High-Throughput Phenotypic Screening,” this innovation promises real-time evaluations of live cells, particularly vital in understanding diseases like cancer, fibrosis, inflammation, and cystic diseases.
The research, authored by CytoTronics’ co-founders Jeffrey Abbott, Vince (Wenxuan) Wu, and Duane Sword, showcases the platform’s ability to swiftly assess cellular responses to diverse compounds and treatments, offering potential insights crucial for drug development and biomedical research.
CytoTronics’ semiconductor platform captures significantly more information per biological sample compared to existing commercial techniques. This expanded capability aims to provide scientists with comprehensive screening data upfront, aiding in understanding how potential drugs affect live-cell biology. Such advancements could expedite drug design iterations or facilitate quicker identification of unproductive research paths.
Jeffrey Abbott, CytoTronics’ co-founder and CEO, highlighted the significance, stating, “Our platform enables the detection of signals from thousands of individual cells, revolutionizing our ability to understand cellular behavior, even with limited samples. This breakthrough has significant implications, particularly in personalized medicine.”
The platform’s adaptability across various cell types and applications positions it as a versatile tool for researchers across diverse scientific domains.
Vince Wu, co-founder and CTO of CytoTronics, emphasized the platform’s engineering feat, noting, “Our semiconductor screening advancements represent a significant leap in experiment throughput, surpassing previous semiconductor-based biology experiments by two orders of magnitude.”
CytoTronics plans to commercialize this semiconductor technology in the form of instruments and microplates. The inaugural product launch is slated for the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) event in Boston, MA, during the week of February 3 – 7, 2024. Applications will span various areas, including early-stage drug compound screening, toxicity assays, immuno-oncology, and combining techniques from the paper with electrophysiological measurements for cardiotoxicity and neuroscience applications.
