PerkinElmer reduces the cost of cellular imaging
Opera system to lower the upfront cost of adding high content
screening (HCS) to drug discovery and systems biology programmes.
The new Opera LX is specifically designed for researchers who need to add the power of high throughput (HT) confocal imaging to their drug discovery, systems biology and toxicology programs without the need for a high initial expenditure. While the Opera LX is supplied in a basic configuration the system is fully scalable and can be upgraded in the field to include all the accessory units found on more costly Opera QEHS version. "With the Opera LX, researchers can access the power of HCS at an introductory system price-range with the option to upgrade to full-scale capability," said Robert Friel, PerkinElmer's CEO. According to Gabriele Gradl, global product manager for HCS at PerkinElmer, the system represents about a 30 per cent cost saving, depending on the configuration. HCS allows researchers to study how drugs, proteins and other biological materials affect cell viability, gene expression or signalling pathways by using automated microscopes to take images of cellular models where proteins of interest are detected using fluorescent reporter molecules or antibodies. These cell models can be designed to express genetic disorders such as cancer to allow researchers to identify changes in the cells caused by the addition of drug candidates or antibodies. "Researchers in both the academic and pharmaceutical markets are increasingly adopting a cell-based approach to their drug discovery research, shifting their focus away from biochemical analysis of discrete cellular components to evaluate cellular function, including tissue and organ activity, through live cell imaging," said Friel. "The Opera system is the gold standard HCS reader providing unrivalled resolution and speed as well as powerful, intuitive Acapella software to provide better insight into the data collected." HCS systems are proving essential to important research efforts in oncology, neuroscience, in vitro toxicology, immunology, and cardiovascular medicine, among other areas. While the system is designed for small to medium throughput programs, Gradl said that the system can run a three colour assay on a 384 well plate in about 15 minutes. PerkinElmer acquired the Opera technology with its acquisition of Evotec Technologies in December and has since added to the imaging capabilities of the system with its acquisition of Improvision.
