Our semi-automated system encapsulates single cells or biomolecules into picodroplets, ready for downstream screening and analysis. It does this at a rapid rate of up to 70,000 picodroplets per second, and the flow rate can be highly controlled. The instrument enables rapid and very sensitive detection of secreted or cell-associated proteins produced by an individual cell, contained in each picodroplet.

The encapsulation system doesn’t affect cell viability, while the wide range of picodroplet sizes and volumes gives it flexibility for use with various cell types – large or small. These picodroplets can be stabilised using novel surfactants and cells can be grown in them, and even incubated or stored for many days.

Key Features
 Semi-automated, picodroplet generator.
 Encapsulation of single cells or biomolecules in picodroplets.
 High-speed generation of picodroplets (up to 70,000/sec).
 Parallel incorporation of probes and cells in picodroplets enables sensitive detection of secreted proteins (e.g. antibodies, growth factors, cytokines, enzymes, etc.).
 User defined microfluidic flow rates.
 Optical imaging of picodroplet generation for QA/QC.
 Wide range of picodroplet sizes and volumes.

 

 Example Applications

Biopharmaceutical discovery:

Antibody (transcript) discovery from primary plasma cells, B-cells or hybridomas.

Bioprocessing:

Rapidly identify and isolate high expressing clones.

Diagnostics:

Detect and assay circulating tumour and other disease-related cells.

Drug-resistance studies:

Identify and isolate rare drug-resistant cells from large microbial or cancer cell populations.

Enzyme evolution:

Screen millions of enzyme constructs to select the most efficient variant.

Synthetic biology:

Study vast numbers of valuable molecules produced by libraries of engineered microbes.

/ 60 Hz]
Consumption	300 W (max)
OPTICS
Illumination	Halogen lamp (white light)
Camera	High-speed CMOS (1,696 pixels x 1,710 pixels) (500 fps at full resolution, up to 200,000 fps at reduced resolution)
Camera Spectral Sensitivity	400 nm – 900 nm
PC
Computer	Dell Optiplex 7010 (4 GB RAM; 500 GB hard drive) or equivalent
PC Operating System	Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1
Monitor	Colour LCD (21”)
External connections	2 USB, 1 Ethernet
Instrument Control Software	neMESYS Syringe Pump software, Camera software
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Clearance	30 cm
Operating Temperature	21oC ± 5oC
SPHERE FLUIDICS’ CONSUMABLES
Microfluidic biochips	*Pico-Gen™ picodroplet production biochips