VisioWell · VISIOWELL : a high-throughput imaging device for non-adherent cells

Measuring single cell dynamics (cell division and death) is crucial to understand organism development, tissue regeneration, immune response, cancer development, response to treatment. For example, it can identify if a treatment induces cell death or a block in division on a given cells during drug screening. Ex-vivo single cell live-cell imaging can unlock the single cell dynamics analysis for translational research. Unfortunately, no options are commercially available for the study of non-adherent cells (immune cells, blood cells and progenitors, sperm cells, oocytes or circulating cancer cells). This hampers drug screening and bioengineering, affecting the development of novel therapies. The main requirements are high throughput to analyse thousands of single cell in parallel and efficient automated image data analysis. Moreover, this type of analysis requires specialists in biology, image analysis and data science. With VisioWell, we will develop the first accessible solution for ex-vivo single cell live-cell imaging on motile cells. VisioWell is an end-to-end tool, conceived specifically for motile cells and developed for non-specialists in microfabrication and imaging analysis. It leverages microfabrication and machine learning, allowing complex experimental designs with simple lab equipment (e.g. imagingplatform or a microscope for live-cell protocols). To establish the potential of VisioWell, we will perform two testbeds, covering drug screening and clinical sample analysis. We will distribute this device through partnerships with academic and industrial stakeholders.VisioWell can unlock the potential of ex vivo single cell live-cell imaging for non-specialists. Access to this method will advance research and development for translational purposes.