Nikon establishes "Nikon BioImaging Lab" in Boston to support drug discovery research

Development of customized drug discovery assays and image analyses upon request

June 13, 2019

Nikon Corporation (Toshikazu Umatate, President, Tokyo) and its subsidiary Nikon Instruments Inc. (Toshiaki Nagano, President, NY, USA) have established the Nikon BioImaging Lab in Boston, USA to provide contract imaging and assay services for pharmaceutical companies and venture companies involved in drug discovery, and to provide product demonstrations. The Lab will begin operations in July, 2019. Nikon aims to serve the biotech community in its drug discovery efforts by making advanced live cell imaging and data analysis technology more accessible.

Overview of the Nikon BioImaging Lab

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Location	21 Erie St, Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A.
Phone number	+1- 888- 315-9598
Major equipment	BioStation CT (Cell Culture Observation System), BioStudio-T (Cell Observation Device), ECLIPSE Ti2-E (Inverted Microscope Systems), ECLIPSE Ts2 (Inverted Routine Microscope), etc.

Facility tours and demonstrations will be available by appointment only.

Advancements in the field of stem cell biology have enabled drug discovery efforts to transition away from relying on animal models and towards using stem cells and iPSC^*-derived cells that more accurately reflect the workings of cells and processes in the human body. In pursuit of further accuracy in drug evaluation, even patient-derived iPSCs are starting to be used for personalized drug screening assays. Using more accurate readout models such as stem cells can accelerate drug discovery and shorten the path to clinical trials. The role of stem cells in the drug discovery process will likely continue to expand, as advancements in this field enable the development of a wider range of cells and even tissues and organoids to be used for compound screening and testing.

*iPSC: induced pluripotent stem cell

Nikon’s advanced live cell imaging technologies enable researchers to evaluate drug-induced effects at the cellular level, both spatially and temporally. Such image-based assays can also help accelerate cell manufacturing processes from cell line development to expansion, further aiding the field of drug discovery.

Nikon has established the Nikon BioImaging Lab in Boston, one of the premier biotechnology hubs for pharmaceutical companies and drug discovery venture companies. At the Lab, Nikon will provide a wide variety of drug discovery support services, including development of custom assays for drug discovery research and screening as well as optimization of cell culturing conditions, to meet the needs of individual clients. For users looking to develop cell manufacturing processes, Nikon’s advanced cell culture observation system, the BioStation CT, and comprehensive cell quality evaluation system will be available.

Services at the Nikon BioImaging Lab

1. Development of customized drug discovery assays

Nikon BioImaging Lab offers state of the art live-cell imaging technologies, cell culture services and advanced image analysis expertise to develop custom cell-evaluation methods for drug discovery and cell manufacturing. Evaluation assays are completely tailored to the client’s needs, from cell handling to image acquisition and data analysis, including development of custom image analysis algorithms. Once the evaluation method has been developed, the assays can be carried out by Nikon application scientists at the BioImaging Lab and/or Nikon can facilitate assay establishment at the customer’s facility.

2. Standard drug discovery assays

Nikon BioImaging Lab offers standard drug discovery assay services. Assays will be optimized for individual needs and requirements.

3. Cell image acquisition and analysis

With cutting edge imaging systems, advanced image analysis tools and expertise, the BioImaging Lab can provide advanced image acquisition and analysis services that are customized to the client’s needs. Imaging capabilities include High Content Screening, multiplexing, and long-term live-cell imaging. Analysis tools leverage artificial intelligence and deep learning and can be completely customized. Image analysis algorithms include in-line, non-destructive, label-free methods that can quantitatively evaluate cell morphology, cell proliferation rates, confluency, and cell colony identification and analysis, etc.

4. Product demonstrations

Nikon offers a wide range of advanced imaging systems for drug discovery research. Product demonstrations can be provided at the Nikon BioImaging Lab for customers interested in incorporating live-cell imaging technology into their drug discovery pipeline.