As a leading provider of high content imaging services and advanced cell culture assays, Visikol is continually working to expand its library of assays and the quality of its services. We are excited to announce that we just added a Molecular Devices ImageXpress high content confocal imager to our confocal imaging core. This instrument will allow Visikol to expand its imaging capacity and also to improve the overall quality of its imaging.

Visikol since its inception has been focused on providing researchers with high quality imaging data from tissues and is the leader in the 3D tissue imaging space. The company has automated much of its workflow and relies heavily upon high content confocal imaging devices as they allow for a continuous imaging workflow while being compatible with well-plates and traditional automation equipment. Visikol has employed high content confocal imagers for use with 2D and 3D cell culture models as well as the 3D imaging of whole tissues such as mouse brains and biopsies.

“One of the unique things that drove us to the ImageXpress system was the ability to customize the software wherein we can push the instrument to its limits and for use with a lot of the complex research questions that we are routinely tackling for our Clients. Additionally, Molecular Devices recently added lasers to the ImageXpress platform which greatly improved the device’s overall imaging quality compared to its previous non-coherent light sources,” described Visikol CSO Dr. Tom Villani.

The ImageXpress system leverages solid state lasers and best-in-class optics and detection to provide unparalleled imaging quality while also maintaining a robust instrument which means minimal downtime and continuous use.

The addition of this instrument to Visikol’s imaging core builds upon the companies Thermo Fisher CX7 LZR high content confocal imager, as well as its various slide scanners and custom built imaging devices such as its Clara™ Optical CT Scanner. Recently, Visikol also entered into a partnership with Fluidigm to offer Imaging Mass Cytomtery services to its Clients which allows for a higher level of multiplexing than traditional fluorescent multiplex imaging.

“At Visikol, we have the largest breadth of tissue imaging and image analysis services in the market and can assist our Clients with everything from microCT to whole brain microscopy and multiplex imaging,” explained Visikol Head of Services Dr. Erin Edwards. Every imaging modality has its advantages and disadvantages and Visikol is continually expanding and improving its portfolio of imaging equipment and techniques such that its Clients can easily transform their tissues into large datasets which can be mined for actionable insights.

Visikol published a post in February 2020 titled, “A Review of High Content Imagers for 3D Cell Culture Imaging.” The Review, in which a small group of users showed a preference for ThermoFisher’s CX7 LZR product, made certain inaccurate statements about PerkinElmer’s Opera Phenix High Content Screening System, specifically that the instrument had average down times as high as 30%. After the publication date, we were advised by PerkinElmer that the average down
time for PerkinElmer’s Opera Phenix High Content Screening System is “significantly less than 30%.” Furthermore, we did not disclose in the Review that Visikol has a business relationship with ThermoFisher in relation to the distribution of tissue clearing products, and we apologize for this oversight. With apologies to PerkinElmer, we have removed the blog post and are issuing this retraction of the Review. As always, we would encourage prospective customers of a HCS imager
to perform their own independent review and assessment of the offerings across the industry to determine the best product and vendor to meet their specific requirements.