High-content screening is the analysis of fluorescent cellular markers to measure multiple responses to biological stimuli or drug treatment. This technology has wide applications in drug discovery covering everything from target identification through to preclinical toxicology.

As the cost of the instrumentation required for high content screening may beyond the capability of smaller laboratories, the instrument manufacturer TTP Labtech (Royston, United Kingdom) has decided to make their in-house systems available for contract use.

Customer samples will be analyzed with TTP LabTech's Acumen X3 system, which combines ultra-high-throughput data collection with the reporting of detailed high content cellular information. This instrument offers high content screening, high throughput cytometry, and whole well scanning with applicability to a broad range of assays.

The Acumen X3 performs cell-based screening using up to three lasers (at 405 nm, 488 nm, and 633 nm) and simultaneous four color detection for each laser to provide content-rich data. This enables a wide range of fluorescent reagents to be combined in multicolor, multiplexed assays. Acumen X3 is flexible enough to be applied to the quantitative analysis of a broad range of biological applications including toxicity testing, viral infectivity, cell cycle, proliferation, protein kinase activity, and reporter gene assays.

Initially to be run from TTP LabTech's headquarters in the United Kingdom, the service will complement TTP LabTech's existing product business by providing companies with an easy route into high-content screening, regardless of their internal resources.

"As the inventors of the Acumen, we have extensive experience in the use of this instrument for high-content screening and so we are well placed to apply its capabilities on behalf of our clients,” said Dr. Philip Blenkinsop, managing director of TTP LabTech. "In the past, prospective clients seeking direct access to high-content data have often asked us whether we can combine our in-house biology expertise with the latest lab tools to provide a complete package. We now feel that the time is right to introduce such a service to augment our existing product business.”

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