Company Announcements

ORFLO Technologies agreed in 2014 to distribute the microfluidic-based zEPI Flow flow cytometer to breweries and wineries to improve yeast-counting and -viability QC activities.

In March, Lonza entered into a distribution agreement for CytoMate Technologies’ CytoSMART Technology.

In April, Shimadzu announced its official entry into the cell analysis business with the development and commercialization of a method allowing the simultaneous analysis of 95 components in pluripotent stem cell–culture solutions in 17 minutes using LC/MS/MS. Shimadzu is a participant in the 15-partner Smart Cell Processing project, a Japan-UK industry-academia-government project led by Tokyo Electron aimed at developing technologies for automatic cell-cultivation and -inspection processes.

Yokogawa Solution Service announced in April that it will join the Smart Cell Processing project. Yokogawa will work with Tokyo Electron to develop a total quality management system for the automated production of stem cells that will be used in regenerative medicine.

Cytena announced the receipt of €1.1 million ($1.2 million) of seed capital to launch the cy-Clone system for the gentle separation of cells.

Product Introductions

De Novo Software released in January FCS Express 5, featuring the ability to update all gates, backgating and statistics in real time.

Ibidi introduced in March the µ-Slide Membrane ibiPore Flow, developed in collaboration with SiMPore, for culturing single or multiple cell types on a porous glass membrane and then analyzing the cells using microscopy. The slide allows full fluidic access to the apical and basal sides of adherent cells for cell studies under static or flow conditions.

Handyem launched the HPC-150 personal cytometer. The portable system is designed for conducting measurements of cells and particles sized 0.5–40 µm. It is available in four configurations and with up to four optical filter colors and six parameters.

Gradientech released the Tracking Tool PRO software for automated cell analysis.

Bio-Rad Laboratories launched a S3e Cell Sorter (488/640 nm) configured specifically for immunologists.

Lonza introduced the CytoSMART System, an easy-to-use and affordable live-cell imaging system that enables researchers to take time-lapse videos and images of their cell cultures without needing to manually inspect their cells. The images are transmitted into the cloud for access outside of the lab.

IntelliCyt introduced the iQue Screener PLUS for high-content analysis of single cells. New to the system is a 405 nm violet laser. The system features 15 detection channels.