Ananda Devices and Molecular Devices launch strategic collaboration to automate imaging and customize analysis of nervous system on-a-chip

Ananda Devices

Neuroscientists can now screen over 3,000 neurons from a NeuroHTSTM microplate in under 30 minutes with the ImageXpress® Pico Automated Cell Imaging System

Laval, Quebec, and San Jose, Calif., Jan. 25, 2021 – Ananda Devices and Molecular Devices today announced at the SLAS2021 virtual conference that the two companies have entered a strategic collaboration involving the NeuroHTSTM nervous system on-a-chip platform and the ImageXpress® Pico Automated Cell Imaging System. Combined, the technology will enable automated screening and custom analysis of neuronal growth and connections in NeuroHTSTM microplates, offering scientists reliable and reproducible research results.

“There is an enormous need to make high-performance neuroscience solutions more accessible to the broader scientific community,” said Margaret Magdesian, CEO of Ananda Devices. “The flexible and highly quantitative ImageXpress Pico system and its custom analysis algorithms provide all the necessary tools to realize the full potential of the NeuroHTSTM plates in automation of neuronal analysis. We are excited to align ourselves with an innovation powerhouse like Molecular Devices, together helping our customers accelerate their neuroscience discoveries.”

NeuroHTSTM is a leading high-throughput in vitro platform for neuronal network formation and screening, featuring precise nano-scale organization of neurons for enhanced reproducibility and physiological relevance of cellular assays. In addition to automation of neurodegeneration and growth assays, NeuroHTSTM enables analysis of neuronal network dynamics.

The ImageXpress Pico system is adept at automated imaging of non-standard plate formats while maintaining robust focus across the acquisition. In combination with NeuroHTSTM microplates, neuroscientists can now image and analyze over 3,000 neurons in less than 30 minutes with very high sample-to-sample reproducibility.

“With its high-resolution imaging and powerful analysis capabilities, the ImageXpress Pico system is ideal for generating meaningful, multiparametric readouts of NeuroHTSTM microplates to characterize neuronal network dynamics for researchers,” said Celeste Glazer, Vice President of Global Marketing and Product Management at Molecular Devices. “Through our collaboration with Ananda Devices, we look forward to supporting continued advancement in neuroscience with our innovative imaging portfolio.”

About Ananda Devices

Ananda Devices, Quebec, Canada (www.anandadevices.com) is a Certified Women Owned company offering proprietary products and services pharmaceutical cosmetic and chemical industries to perform compound screening, toxicity and efficacy testing up to 50x faster and 90% more cost-effective than current technologies. With 20+ years of experience in neuroscience and tissue engineering, Ananda Devices has been a developer and supplier of unique microplates to grow models of brain, spinal cord and innervated tissues, helping customers worldwide launch their products faster and to comply with legislations to reduce animal experimentation.

About Molecular Devices, LLC

Molecular Devices is one of the world's leading providers of high-performance bioanalytical measurement systems, software and consumables for life science research, pharmaceutical and biotherapeutic development. Included within a broad product portfolio are platforms for high-throughput screening, genomic and cellular analysis, colony selection and microplate detection. These leading-edge products enable scientists to improve productivity and effectiveness, ultimately accelerating research and the discovery of new therapeutics. Molecular Devices is committed to the continual development of innovative solutions for life science applications. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California with offices around the globe.

Media contact:

Doreen Miao
Business Director
doreen@anandadevices.com