Author

Michael Johnson, Ph.D.
MatTek Life Sciences CCO/Visikol General Manager

Here at Visikol, we specialize in a diverse range of scientific applications, though our focus can be broken down into two main areas – advanced cell culture and advanced imaging. We offer a variety of 3D in vitro models – including but not limited to – liver fibrosis, hepatotoxicity, immune cell infiltration, and blood brain barrier assays. On the advanced imaging front, we are consistently working to provide our clients with more actionable insights to their tissues through our multiplex IF and IMC services. As the demand for multiplex services rises, we strive to streamline the quoting process by lowering barriers to obtaining data and optimizing turnaround time to better meet our clients’ timelines. We are accomplishing this through the launch of our multiplex project designer webpage, which allows our clients to avoid the wait time associated with multiple meetings and long email chains. With the help of this new feature, your requests will transform from Statements of Work to active projects in the lab in no time.

1.) Navigate to one of the Multiplex Project Designer locations on our website.

2.) Fill out your basic contact information so that we can reach out when your SOW is complete.

3.) Enter in details about your samples (number, type, fixative, control tissue provided, etc.).

1. 1. If you are unsure about any of these details at the time of submission, we are happy to iron these out in the 15-minute meeting we host upon receipt of your request.
      1. i) As a note, any information not matching the SOW may result in change order and price change.

4.) Many of our clients ask if there can be more than one section per slide – and the answer is yes! We just ask that you indicate how many sections per slide and tissue size (or if it is a TMA) in the ‘Additional Information’ section.

Our standard section thickness is 5μm. If your sections are anything outside of this, please make note of this as well.

5.) As for image analysis, we offer standard cell counts and positivity for markers as a standard service. Our other available analysis services include area quantification, cell population analysis, spatial analysis, morphometric characterization, phenotypic analysis, bioinformatics, traditional machine learning and deep learning, and custom pipeline development.

Once you press “Submit,” our team will be notified of your request and all the details provided above. We will get to work generating your SOW and reach out within 48 hours to set up a 15-minute meeting to review your project design together. Not only does this eliminate the need for an initial introductory meeting, but it also ensures we have all the information required to generate a fully comprehensive SOW for our clients. If you have a project in mind that you would like Visikol’s help with, give our multiplex project designer a try!

Lung cancer has predominated as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with lung cancer patients facing a poor prognosis more often than not. The general inefficacy of lung cancer treatments is due to various factors, including disease heterogeneity, late diagnosis, and aggressiveness of lung cancers. The traditional approaches, chemotherapies and radiation, are often off-target and can inflict unwanted side effects, thereby increasing systemic cytotoxicity. To try and combat this, Immunotherapies have emerged as a popular approach given that they utilize our body’s built-in immune system to combat cancers. However, immunotherapies for lung cancer treatment exhibit poor success rates primarily due to the lack of understanding of the molecular and cellular drivers behind immune changes in response to tumors across the diversity of cancer stages and grades.

The current model to classify tumors is based on a tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) classification system. The limitation to this system is that patients can have the same TNM but vastly different treatment responses. This is because the model does not account for crucial biochemical, metabolic, and genetic features that are unique to each patient tumor. Immunoscoring aims to bridge this gap by measuring immune cell infiltration as a predictor for how a patient will respond to immunotherapies. In a recent study entitled “Spatially variant immune infiltration scoring in human cancer tissues,” researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University investigated the tumor immune architecture at a single-cell level to quantify the heterogeneity of lung cancers using highly multiplexed IMC. An H&E stained tumor microarray (12 tissues corresponding to 6 lung cancer patients) was pre-annotated by a pathologist to identify the regions of interest (ROIs), with those ROIs being areas that exhibited varying cancer stages, grades, and immune infiltration patterns. IMC was used to target 26 markers that identified stromal, immune, and cancer cell states: CD8α, CD68, CD163, CD206, HLA-DR, PD-1, PD-L1, granzyme B, FoxP3, CD20, CD4, CD3, CD45RO, TCF1, CD103, and CD95 for immune markers; pan-keratin and e-cadherin for cancerous/paracancerous regions; and SMA and COL1 for stromal regions.

Single-cell analysis was performed using segmentation via a deep-learning technique and CellProfiler, in conjunction with unsupervised clustering. Further, the spatial relationship among cell types was quantified using cell neighborhood analysis to generate cell proximity maps that were overlaid on the tissue images from IMC. These spatial maps were then used to generate infiltration maps that indicated a continuum distribution across samples ranging from immune cold tumors (very little immune cell infiltration), to immune suppressed tumors (immune microenvironment was inhibited), and immune hot tumors (inflamed immune microenvironments).

Overall, this study shows the wide spectrum and diversity of cell types in tumor tissues, which helps to explain the differential in patient responses to immune-based treatments. The methodology used demonstrates the value that IMC can add to a study, as well as the potential for IMC to provide deeper insight into experimental results. Visikol is proud to announce the addition of IMC to our repertoire of services, and we are confident that our advanced imaging capabilities can help our Clients answer even their most complex research questions. Reach out today to find out how Visikol can help accelerate your research.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., October 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Standard BioTools Inc. (Nasdaq:LAB), driven by a bold purpose – Unleashing tools to accelerate breakthroughs in human health™ – today announced a collaboration agreement with Visikol® for service offerings using Imaging Mass Cytometry™.

The agreement is an expansion of the relationship established in 2020 under which Visikol will offer IMC services to clients from its site in Hampton, NJ. Visikol, a contract research services company focused on advanced tissue imaging and advanced cell culture assays, services all 20 of the top pharmaceutical companies. Visikol will leverage the Standard BioTools™ Hyperion+™ Imaging System, based on Imaging Mass Cytometry (IMC™), in its multiplex tissue imaging services. This initiative is supported by Visikol’s digital pathology services, which aim to transform large imaging-based datasets into actionable insights.

Recently, the demand for tools to evaluate the complex immune cell landscape has grown dramatically as researchers, biotech companies, and pharmaceutical companies look to develop immuno-oncology therapeutics and better understand the intricate interplay between the immune system and disease.

Multiplex tissue imaging is a key tool that researchers can use to characterize a wide range of immune cell and tissue-specific biomarkers simultaneously. Standard BioTools has developed a version of this technology, IMC that currently allows for 40-plus markers to be detected on a single slide with an unprecedented level of sensitivity, quantification, and absence of autofluorescence. In addition, IMC’s rapid panel design capability is particularly well suited to applications within contract research organizations.

“As a company that is focused on advanced tissue imaging, we are excited to add IMC to our portfolio of tools and to work closely with Standard BioTools, as it will allow us to better meet the needs of our clients,” said Visikol CEO Michael Johnson, PhD. “IMC provides our clients with the unique ability to image many markers simultaneously while providing an unparalleled level of image quality.”

“IMC is one of the essential technologies that Standard BioTools provides,” said Michael Egholm, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Standard BioTools. “The valuable relationship with Visikol broadens the use of IMC for spatial omics studies, offering a vital tool in the acceleration of drug discovery and development in particular when dealing with precious and scarce patient biopsies.  We look forward to working with the Visikol team to help their pharma clients uncover important spatial relationships within the tissue microenvironment.”

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others, statements regarding the potential benefits of research conducted using Standard BioTools products and technologies and anticipated benefits to Standard BioTools of an expanded collaboration. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from currently anticipated results, including but not limited to risks relating to interruptions or delays in the supply of components or materials for, or manufacturing of, Standard BioTools products; potential product performance and quality issues; intellectual property risks; competition; uncertainties in contractual relationships; and reductions in research and development spending or changes in budget priorities by customers. Information on these and additional risks and uncertainties and other information affecting Standard BioTools’ business and operating results is contained in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Standard BioTools disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as may be required by law.

About Standard BioTools Inc.
Standard BioTools Inc. (Nasdaq:LAB), previously known as Fluidigm, is driven by a bold purpose –Unleashing tools to accelerate breakthroughs in human health. Standard BioTools has an established portfolio of essential, standardized next-generation technologies that help biomedical researchers develop medicines faster and better. As a leading solutions provider, the company provides reliable and repeatable insights in health and disease using its proprietary mass cytometry and microfluidics technologies, which help transform scientific discoveries into better patient outcomes. Standard BioTools works with leading academic, government, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, plant and animal research, and clinical laboratories worldwide, focusing on the most pressing needs in translational and clinical research, including oncology, immunology, and immunotherapy.  Learn more at www.standardbio.com or connect with us on Twitter®, Facebook®, LinkedIn, and YouTube™. Standard BioTools, the Standard BioTools logo, Fluidigm, the Fluidigm logo, “Unleashing tools to accelerate breakthroughs in human health,” CyTOF, Hyperion, Hyperion+, Imaging Mass Cytometry and IMC are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Standard BioTools Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners. Standard BioTools products are provided for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About Visikol
Visikol is a contract research services company that is focused on accelerating the drug discovery and development process through providing its clients with advanced tissue imaging and advanced cell culture services. Today, Visikol counts the top 20 pharmaceutical companies as clients and has been instrumental in dozens of drug discovery programs. The company provides end-to-end services that include 3D tissue imaging, multiplex tissue imaging, digital pathology, high-content imaging, 2D cell culture assays, 3D cell culture assays, and ex vivo tissue slice assays. Visikol’s expertise lies in both transforming tissues into actionable insights and bridging the gap between in vitro assays and in vivo results through the use of best in-class cell culture models. In addition to its services, Visikol sells a suite of tissue clearing reagents and kits as well as the HUREL® Micro Liver portfolio of primary hepatocyte liver models. Learn more at www.visikol.com.

Available Information
Standard BioTools uses its website (standardbio.com), investor site (investors.standardbio.com), corporate Twitter account (@Standard_BioT), Facebook page (facebook.com/StandardBioT), and LinkedIn page (linkedin.com/company/standard-biotools) as channels of distribution of information about its products, its planned financial and other announcements, its attendance at upcoming investor and industry conferences, and other matters. Such information may be deemed material information, and Standard BioTools may use these channels to comply with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Therefore, investors should monitor Standard BioTools’ website and its social media accounts in addition to following its press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, and webcasts.

Investors:
Peter DeNardo
415 389 6400
ir@standardbio.com

Source: Standard BioTools Inc.

Download our Multiplex Tissue Imaging eBook Today!

With the recent advances in the field of tumor immunology and cancer immunotherapy, there is a growing need for multiplex imaging methods that can simultaneously label multiple tumor and immune cell biomarkers providing users valuable information about the complex tumor microenvironment.

This eBook will examine the pros and cons of using:

• Tissue-Based Cyclic Immunofluorescence (t-CyCIF) Method
• Co-Detection by Indexing or Fluorescent Immunohisto-PCR
• Fluorescent Tyramide mediated amplification
• Visikol Multiplex Immunofluorescence (VMIF)
• Imaging Mass Cytometry

…and more!

Visikol originally began a little over four years ago focused entirely on providing researchers with reagents to image tissues in 3D such that they could move beyond traditional 2D histopathology and study tissues intact in their entirety. These products have now been used by over one thousand research labs, and in the last few years Visikol has transitioned into a contract research organization through which it provides pharmaceutical and biotech companies with advanced imaging, digital pathology and cell culture services. These advanced imaging capabilities include confocal and light sheet microscopy, multiplex fluorescent slide scanning, high content analysis and most recently X-ray microCT imaging. “Our core mission as a company is to provide researchers with tools and services that allow them to transform tissues into quantitative datasets and then to be able to mine these datasets for actionable insights. We saw a gap in the market where researchers at companies wanted image-to-insight solutions and we have been filling this gap with best-in-class services,” described Visikol CEO Michael Johnson, PhD.

The most recent addition to this portfolio of services is Imaging Mass Cytometry, which is a highly powerful imaging modality for acquiring high-plex data. The need for this technology has grown out of the study of immuno-oncology (IO) therapeutics where researchers are working to assess the interplay between dozens of immune cell subtypes in the context of IO therapeutics. IMC enables researchers to ask and answer ever more complex questions about how the immune system interacts with cancer cells and how therapeutics can be leveraged to modulate this response. This and other studies where assessment of the tissue heterogeneity is important, such as in cancer, immune-mediated and infectious diseases, can also benefit from data produced by IMC.

Furthermore, IMC enables researchers to image up to 37 parameters at a time and because metal tags are being used instead of fluorophores, problematic autofluorescence is nonexistent and results are crisper, particularly for certain tissue types such as lung, liver and neural tissues. When preciseness is increased by using the innovative IMC Cell Segmentation markers solution from Fluidigm, results can be even further improved.

“We teamed up with Fluidigm to provide our Clients with IMC as a service as we felt it was a novel approach that enables our Clients to answer questions that they cannot effectively answer today and provides some unique benefits over conventional multiplex fluorescent slide scanning,” described Visikol Head of Services, Erin Edwards, PhD.

Through the relationship, Visikol’s Clients will continue to send tissue blocks or slides to the company but will now have the option to acquire IMC data from their slides as well. Visikol will work with the Clients to design panels comprised of Maxpar® or custom metal conjugated antibodies and will then work with Fluidigm to ablate and image the samples. Once the imaging data is generated, Visikol will leverage its extensive image analysis and data sharing software to analyze the data and share it with their Clients. To the Client, the workflow will be seamless, and the Client will now have access to an unprecedented array of imaging-based endpoints for their tissues.

“We are very pleased for the opportunity to partner with Visikol as they are a highly focused, advanced imaging CRO. Our Hyperion Imaging System complements their client workflow and data analysis pipeline very well. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Visikol and identify novel research areas through which the technology platform can be leveraged,” said Andrew Quong, Fluidigm Chief Science Officer.

About Visikol
Visikol is a contract research organization (CRO) focused on advanced drug discovery that is leading the fields of bioimaging, bioinformatics and image analysis. We conduct end-to-end drug discovery services that include both 2D and 3D in vitro models and assays, 3D whole mount tissue imaging, digital pathology and custom drug discovery projects. Visikol offers a portfolio of drug discovery services ranging from 2D and 3D cell culture model and assay development to in vitro screening, animal tissue histology and automated image processing. The focus of these services is to transform tissues into images and ultimately into quantitative datasets that can be mined for actionable insights that help our Clients make more informed decisions during the drug discovery process. Additionally, Visikol manufactures and sells a suite of tissue clearing reagents and 3D immuno-labeling kits. These products allow researchers to easily and rapidly image whole tissues and 3D cell culture models in 3D instead of traditional 2D sectioning. For more information about Visikol or its services, please visit our website at visikol.com.

About Fluidigm
Fluidigm is an industry-leading biotechnology tools provider with a vision to improve life through comprehensive health insight. We focus on the most pressing needs in translational and clinical research, including cancer, immunology, and immunotherapy. Using proprietary CyTOF® and microfluidics technologies, we develop, manufacture, and market multi-omic solutions to drive meaningful insights in health and disease, identify biomarkers to inform decisions, and accelerate the development of more effective therapies. Our customers are leading academic, government, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and plant and animal research laboratories worldwide. Together with them, we strive to increase the quality of life for all. For more information, visit fluidigm.com.

Fluidigm, the Fluidigm logo, CyTOF, Hyperion, Imaging Mass Cytometry, IMC and Maxpar are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Fluidigm Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Fluidigm products are provided for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.