Scientific collaborations are a critical component to any successful commercial launch of a new product, especially in the case of a first-of-it’s-kind AI-powered platform for morpholomics.
Striving to provide a high-dimensional modality to characterize more about cell types, states and functional implications, Deepcell launched our pre-commercial Technology Access Program (TAP) to develop an ever richer data set across multiple sample types, and to stress test the instrument in order to deliver the most robust solution possible. We believe the platform will be transformational but rely on the insights and applied use outside the walls of our building to show us what’s needed and possible.
“It’s exciting to begin operating the instrument in-house at TGen as a part of the Technology Access Program. Our goal is to explore the use of this instrument for translational research in determining how melanoma tumor cells respond to different treatments,” said Candice Wike, Ph.D., Manager of TGen’s Scientific Technology Assessment Research Team.
We are partnering with top scientists at notable institutions throughout the world who are excited and motivated by new and innovative technologies, such as TGen, University of California, San Francisco, and Levesque Lab at the University of Zurich. These groups are utilizing our technology for a range of functional genomics, melanoma characterization and malignant fusion sample exploration through the program.
“Melanoma cells are difficult to isolate with conventional sorting methods because they lack reliable cell surface markers. By isolating and sorting cells using morphology, we may deepen our understanding of the biology of melanoma progression and, in particular, of cell phenotypes and molecular features of cancerous cells,” according to Dr Levesque, Associate Professor at the University of Zurich.
Testing in the real world versus speculating what would be needed has been rewarding, for both us at Deepcell and for the collaborating sites. All TAP studies are seeing consistent results, bolstering our confidence in deploying a robust system worldwide. In addition, there is a consensus amongst the participating groups on the appeal of high-dimensional morphology analysis leading to new discoveries, either stand-alone or in combination with molecular methods, especially with the platform’s capability for label-free retrieval of viable cells for downstream work. The data they are seeing will be shared in the coming months, but to-date, initial outputs have been described as scientifically meaningful and eye-opening.
Dr. Hani Goodarzi, Associate Professor Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics at UCSF shared, “Using Deepcell technology, we aim to study time-course morphological changes in drugged lymphoblast cells. This would allow us to understand drug response and efficacy in ways that was not possible before. I am excited by the initial results and we already have many other research ideas that can be enabled with this technology.”
As we continue to work with our TAP sites, we are beginning to work on our next phase of collaborations, offering exclusive access to this novel morphology technology. If you’re interested in learning more about partnering with Deepcell in the future, email: info@deepcellbio.com.
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Michelle Balakrishnan
Sr. Product Marketing Manager - Deepcell
