HIGH CONTENT SCREENING

Service Description

High content screening (HCS) attempts to bridge the gap between microscopy and cytometry, providing both large quantities of statically useful and phenotypically rich data. HCS combines automated microscopy with customizable algorithms able to detect and quantify many different types of phenotypic information in both fixed and living cultured cells. The Perkin Elmer Operetta HCS system combines automated imaging with advanced Harmony HCS software, which contains many common algorithms such as nuclei and cell detection, as well as the ability to automatically detect complex phenotypes through machine learning.

Equipment

– Perkin Elmer Operetta HCS

  • 10x, 20x and 40x objective lenses.
  • Temperature control and CO2 for cultured cells.
  • Fully automated image acquisition from 24,96 and 384 well plates.
  • Latest version Harmony 4.6: integrated acquisition and analysis software.
  • Real-time automated analysis and quantification of image data.
  • Machine learning-based phenotype recognition algorithms (Phenologic)
  • Offline Harmony analysis workstation for improved throughput.

– Thermofisher Versette liquid handling robot for 96-well plates

  • Programmable robot system
  • 6 position stage: exchange between up to 6 plates or reservoirs 
  • Suitable for plate cloning and serial dilutions

Applications

– Fast and statistically robust toxicity assays using adherent cells with the advantage of being able to visually confirm cell morphology

– Drug dose-response curve calculation: On a single plate, multiple concentrations or combinations of compounds can be easily and quickly tested

– Screening for specific phenotypes in cultured cells using libraries of small molecules, siRNAs, or other biologically-active collections

– Screening for complex phenotypes: many cytological effects cannot be detected easily by cytometry Operetta allows complex phenotypes (eg organelle distribution or cell organization changes) to be detected automatically and reliably

– Long-term cell culture studies: Operetta is equipped with temperature and CO2 control, making it suitable for maintaining live cultured cells in optimal conditions during image acquisition

Services Offered
  • High content screening design and setup advice The most important step in performing a successful HCS screen is good experimental design and planning
  • Experimental validation and pilot study testing For more complex projects, it is essential to perform preliminary tests to identify possible problems with labeling, marker expression, cell morphology, and other sources of variability before expending valuable time and reagents
  • Custom experiments and HCS analysis design: we can design both assays and custom automatic image analysis pipelines using the Harmony platform based on your requirements
  • Integrated cytotoxicity testing service We have developed robust protocols from the incubation of cultured cells with test compounds to measuring cytotoxic responses at different time points Different criteria such as plasma membrane integrity, metabolic activity, or intracellular esterase activity can be chosen depending on experimental requirements
  • Development of custom liquid handing protocols Using the Thermofisher Versette liquid handing system, we can develop tailor-made solutions to facilitate medium-to-large scale experiments in 96 well plates with greater accuracy and lower overall costs

Technical staff

MOLINA GIL, SARA

Técnico de Microscopía
Microscopy Technician