Over the past 10 years, high-content analysis has become an increasingly important research tool, leading to advances in the understanding of cellular function. The advantages of this tool have not been available to every cell biology researcher, however, because of the complexity of operating the technology, its cost and other factors. As part of our High Content 2.0 program these barriers to adoption were addressed with the launch in 2011 of the Thermo Scientific CellInsight Image Cytometer. The CellInsight Personal Image Cytometer provides all the benefits of cellular imaging in one simple-to-use, low-cost platform. A straightforward and streamlined workflow enables simple two-click image acquisition, autofocus, scanning and analysis of a sample plate.

Thermo Scientific iDEV guided workflow software is just one of the innovative additions to the High Content 2.0 platform. The software is designed for the rigors of multi-user environments and provides even the occasional user with the means to efficiently and effectively develop cell imaging assays. Leveraging Thermo Fisher Scientific’s best-in-class image analysis tools, iDEV combines a more intuitive, step-by-step assay setup with an industry first “easy assay optimizer” feature that addresses multiple groups of biological states simultaneously to dramatically reduce critical assay development timelines. This unique, interactive tool allows the user to simultaneously visualize algorithmic parameter changes at the image, data and statistical level in real time.

An innovative LED light engine, designed to overcome the limitations of current bulb technology, offers unprecedented speed and reliability for screening campaigns while reducing exposure times, data variability and consumable expenses. With an extremely stable ”solid state” five-color light excitation capability, more than 10,000 hour life and low power consumption, the LED light engine offers significant improvements in large-scale data generation with a dramatically reduced total cost of ownership.

Integrating the ZEISS* Definite Focus hardware into the Arrayscan VTI HCS Reader’s live cell configuration. This change is designed to better support high-content analysis of living cells, such as the study of calcium signaling, pharmacokinetics, toxicity and GPCR’s . During such long-term experiments, the sample container often deforms due to thermal changes, however the Definite Focus hardware maintains the sample in sharp focus for up to 20 hours by the use of a long wavelength (infrared region) LED in combination with algorithms that adjust the instrument’s Z-drive, eliminating the need for repeated software autofocus and the photo-toxicity it may cause.

Thermo Scientific iView image mining software, also developed as part of the High-Content 2.0 program, adds new visualization functionality to all the Thermo Scientific high-content platforms. The iView software offers image centric analytics that allow easy visual quality control of experiments at the plate, well and cell level, while maintaining links to the quantitative data. Users can investigate cell phenotypes using “flow cytometry-like” scatter plots that allow visual correlation of cell phenotypes with the data. To complement the new Definite Focus-enabled live-cell configurations, iView software can quickly create movies of live-cell kinetic experiments.

New Thermo Scientific openGateway software brings the benefits of all of our existing high-content informatics, image analysis tools and data mining software to all researchers who generate images and data whether from high-content platforms or microscopes. Developed using OME and Web services standards, openGateway offers a rich XML standard format for data and images, together with a Web service interface to allow them to be easily imported into the Thermo Scientific Store database. Once images and data are safely in the database they can be managed, accessed and analyzed. Users can then benefit from a single, open standard repository of images and data regardless of source.