Scaling cell and tissue innovations at the heart of healthcare

Cell and tissue analysis play a crucial role in understanding the causes and effects of diseases and treatments. Cell models and, increasingly, adult stem cells are being used to provide a better model for drug discovery and to test the efficacy of a drug candidate. However, the traditional techniques used in this field have been labor-intensive. Pathologists employ various methods, such as specialist staining of biopsy samples, immunohistochemistry (IHC), flow cytometry (FCM), in situ hybridization (ISH), microarrays, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and cell culture.

Genomic and proteomic analyses often rely on single cells or clones derived from them. Tecan’s Uno Single Cell Dispenser™ is a valuable tool for isolating single cells. Clonal isolation of single cells enables the generation of cell lines with specific genetic mutations, which can be utilized in various downstream applications. For instance, they can be used to explore cellular signaling pathways or to create fluorescent-tagged cells for imaging or sorting purposes. The single-cell dispenser offers a rapid and efficient method to generate single-cell clones with high fidelity and throughput. It paves the way for label-free single-cell proteomics, potentially revolutionizing tumor analysis, especially in the study of inter- and intratumor heterogeneity.

Automation and workflow integration play a crucial role in addressing the challenges mentioned above, ensuring accelerated speed to market for both single-cell and tissue analysis and diagnostics. Tecan, through its OEM partnering program, is actively shaping the global pathology environment with successful collaborations such as with Dako Omnis for Agilent and with the Sysmex Corporation PS-10 Sample Preparation System for flow cytometry.

Tecan was a partner in creating the Dako Omnis platform, which is designed to meet the needs of the high-volume pathology lab that runs both IHC and ISH slides. Real-life case studies demonstrate that labs using Dako Omnis have increased daily throughput by up to 74% with fewer instruments, reduced case turnaround time by 10-12%, and minimized hands-on time by up to 37%.

The Sysmex PS-10 is a highly automated, flexible sample prep system for lab-developed tests and routine flow cytometry applications. It automates the complicated and time-consuming sample prep processes, making testing more efficient, reducing manual effort, and contributing to standardization. Bottlenecks in sample preparation are overcome for more consistent results, greater efficiency, and flexibility for laboratory staff. Tecan's Cavro® Omni Flex platform serves as the basis for this sample prep system developed specifically for FCM, and existing technologies are directly integrated into the device.

As healthcare providers face a growing number of biopsies required for disease monitoring and treatment, there is a pressing need to simplify these techniques while ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines. The focus is on increasing speed and throughput. Addressing the bottleneck in sample processing opens challenges in downstream analysis. Consequently, integrating digital imaging solutions, including AI tools, into the workflow becomes essential to provide timely clinical decisions.

By leveraging its life sciences expertise and its OEM partnering, Tecan has the potential to greatly improve patient outcomes through the development and scaling of custom automated platforms for cell and tissue analysis. This can be particularly beneficial in optimizing therapy for chronic cancer cases and finding new ways to enhance patient care.