Cell Based
Screening System
With Automated Imaging Assays
The Discovery-1™ System will screen 96, 384, and 1536-well plates, up to 8 probes per well and up to 16 sites per well.
Integrated System for
High Content Screening Applications
www.discovery-1.com
The headquarters of Universal
Imaging Corporation in
Downingtown, PA, is home to
Universal Imaging Institute, the site
of our in-house training courses.
Discovery-1 Screening System Evolves
from History of Live Cell Imaging
Microscopy and fluorescent imaging have helped
scientists better understand structure and function at the
cellular level. Recently, revolutionary advances in
imaging technology, GFP, and other live-cell fluorescent
probes have allowed cell biologists to quantitatively
examine cell structure and function at even higher spatial
and temporal resolution. Cell biological assays have
become an increasingly important tool in screening
and drug discovery.
Recognized as the market leader in live cell imaging,
Universal Imaging Corporation continues to make
exciting advances in this technology. UIC’s new
Discovery-1 Cell Based Screening System has
evolved from over 18 years experience developing
automated microscopy and image analysis technology
for cell biology and neurology research.
Cell Biological Assays and Screening
A dedicated system for rapid automated imaging and
image analysis, Discovery-1 makes it easy to incorporate
cell biological assays into your screening efforts.
Better characterization of your lead compounds with
cell-based assays provides greater efficiency on the
road to clinical trials.
While the Discovery-1 System offers turn-key simplicity
and ensures you’ll be up and running your screens in
no time, it also has an unmatched level of flexibility to
grow as your needs change. Only Discovery-1 has the
ability to serve as both a turn-key solution and a platform for developing your future cell biology assays.
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Our cost-effective hardware solution, system integration,
and open-architecture image analysis offer you the
most flexibility in this exciting new arena.
Sales, Service, and Support in a
Complete Package
Universal Imaging Corporation and its worldwide
representatives provide a total solution to help you
analyze your screens. Our direct sales representatives
and distributors are continually trained in the latest
imaging techniques and are ready to provide you
with the best available imaging expertise, advice, onsite training and support. Our in-field representation
is considered to be one of the most valued features of
the Discovery-1 Cell Based Screening System.
In addition to in-field support, we provide extensive
training at our in house educational facility known as
Universal Imaging Institute. Our Application Scientists
help you create analysis protocols and routines designed
for your assays and provide training that enables you to
develop your own analysis protocols. This extensive
support is a major reason more scientists are turning
to Universal Imaging Corporation for a cell-based
screening solution.
UIC’s Discovery-1 Cell Based Screening System is a
proprietary opto-mechanical hardware platform and
software optimized for the demands of multi-well
fluorescence discovery assays. Powered by the award
winning MetaMorph® software engine, Discovery-1
has a point and click configuration module to help you
set up your screens. Ideal for a multi user environment,
the Discovery-1 System can easily store settings for
multiple assays and users.
The Discovery-1 System supports all standard multiwell formats (24, 96, 384, and 1536 wells) and custom
plate configurations. For maximum flexibility, the system
can auto-focus for each well, each site within the well
and/or for each probe. A high-speed mechanical focus
device is used to minimize focusing time and limit
photo damage to the specimen. The open architecture
of the software allows easy integration with fluidics
systems through standard serial or TTL communications.
60x) a wide range of acquisition configurations can
be achieved. The imaging platform has a compact
footprint (8 x14 inches), suitable for bench top mounting,
and the system is compatible with a variety of automated
plate loading robots.
A 175-watt Xenon arc bulb provides the fluorescence
excitation light. The bulb is easy to change, with no
focusing required. A full 100% of the light is directed
to the camera port through a liquid light guide to provide
even illumination across the field of view.
Acquisition
Optimized for the Demands of
Drug Discovery
The Discovery-1 System is configured with leading high
speed, low light level cameras. A common choice is a
20Mhz high speed, high quantum efficiency interline
CCD digital camera with a 1392 x 1040 pixel array
and a 6.45-micron pixel size.
The Screen Acquisition module of the Discovery-1
System has a point and click design to help you quickly
set up your screens.
Automated Fluorescence Microscopy
At the core of the Discovery-1 System is an imaging
platform designed for maximum light throughput and
automated fluorescence microscopy. Excitation,
emission, and neutral density filter changers allow
imaging of 8 different fluorophores per experiment.
A high-speed dichroic filter changer (patent pending)
optimizes the throughput for each fluorophore with no
registration errors. Long working-distance objectives,
mounted on a fully automated turret, are suitable for
imaging both glass and plastic microtiter plates.
With six objectives available (typically from 2x to
With its compact footprint, the Discovery-1 System is
ideal for bench top mounting and is compatible with a
variety of automated plate loading robots. Fluorescence
excitation light is provided by a 175-watt Xenon arc bulb
rated for 1,000+ hours.
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Analysis
Flexibility Provided by MetaMorph® Software
Standard Set of Analytical Routines
A dedicated, intuitive image viewer and analyzer in
the Discovery-1 System includes a standard set of
routines for evaluating your screens. Since your
needs may change in the future, the system has the
flexibility to create new analysis assays via the
analysis tools of the underlying MetaMorph software
engine. MetaMorph has been cited in thousands of
scientific journal articles and is the acknowledged
leader in the market for live cell imaging systems.
A comprehensive set of analytical routines is standard
with the Discovery-1 System. Current turn-key
analysis routines include:
• Multi-probe co-localization analysis
• Proliferation studies
• Cell viability/apoptosis (Live/dead)
• Receptor translocation
• Neurite outgrowth/Angiogenesis
• Cell migration
• Cytoskeletal reorganization
• Endocytosis/Exocytosis
• Protein synthesis, degradation and localization
• Cell physiology (Calcium/pH)
• Cell signaling and behavior (cells and worms)
View image montages by well (shown above), by quadrant,
row or even by the entire plate.
Using the Discovery-1 System, you can view multiple
wells at any zoom and view image montages by well,
quadrant, row, or even by the entire plate. With the
system’s tools for data retrieval, you can click on an
image thumbnail to see the source image in full
resolution. Standard graphics features enable you to
make color composites to view co-localization of
probes, view intensity profiles, place well label
and/or analysis results as text on an image and access
other visualization tools to aid in hit identification.
Cell Counting (Proliferation)
Raw data image
(DAPI stained nuclei)
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Cells counted with
MetaMorph’s standard
area analysis function.
Develop your own specialized analysis routines with
over 100 functions including spatial, intensity and
morphometry. In the example above, the green highlights
indicate well values outside the selected range.
Raw Intensity Visualization
Analysis
3D Intensity Profile
Intensity Profile Viewing
The bottom intensity profile image shows a 3D perspective
of data from both probes used in this experiment.
Norak GPCR Assay
Using the Discovery-1 System, Norak Biosciences
developed this proprietary Transfluor™ assay to target
G protein-coupled receptors. The image on the right
shows activation of the GPCR.
Running the Transfluor assay requires a separate
Unstimulated
patent license that must be obtained from Norak
Biosciences, Inc. (Tel. 919-248-8000) for an additional
fee. UIC does not have the right or authority to grant any
license under patents covering Transfluor. No license
to make, use, sell, offer for sale, or import Transfluor
is granted by the purchase of UIC instrumentation or
software. (www.norakbio.com)
Stimulated
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Flexibility
Open Architecture for Developing Your
Own Assays
Imaging Model Organisms
(C. Elegans Motility Assay)
With its open architecture, the Discovery-1 is the only
cell-based screening system that gives you the ability
to develop your own specialized assays. Over 100
analysis functions (including spatial, intensity and
morphometry), user-defined variables, and a wealth of
image processing tools including segmentation and
deconvolution allow maximum flexibility for future
analysis needs.
For more exhaustive data analysis, the Discovery-1
System’s open architecture database is compatible with
bio-informatics software from major manufacturers.
An optional image server is available for high capacity
storage and for multi user environments multiple offline analysis stations can be integrated into the system.
A01: Acquire
Study Kinetics with Time-Lapse Images
The Discovery-1 System provides tools for optimizing
your assays. When developing your assays, Discovery-1
allows you to study kinetics by taking time-lapse
images from one or more sites. These images can then
be analyzed to find optimal conditions for dynamic
range and reproducibility in your measurements.
Hardware Flexibility
Discovery-1 can be provided with custom filter sets for
use with novel fluorescence probes. Discovery-1 also
offers capabilities for control interfaces to fluidics and
custom robotics systems.
C02: Display/Analyze
Adipogenesis Assay
Top: nuclei, top right number
indicates count of nuclei.
Bottom: oil red, top right
number indicates lipid
measurements normalized to
cell number.
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Robotics/Database
Screen Plates Unattended
With the Discovery-1’s integrated robotic plate handling
system, you can screen multiple, bar-coded plates
unattended. UIC Software for the Plate Crane from
Hudson Control Group support 60 or 240 plate storage
capacity. The Discovery-1 System can also be
integrated with custom robotics systems through a
generic robotics interface.
Supports Microsoft® SQL and is
Oracle® Compatible
The Discovery-1 database software supports Microsoft
SQL and is compatible with Oracle. The suite of
functions for database access includes multiple tools for
viewing your measurement data interactively linked to
your image data. The Discovery-1 database architecture
is open and unrestricted for access by other proprietary
or commercially available bioinformatics software.
Acquired images are stored in the database along with
system parameters and barcode information. The
Discovery-1 analysis module accesses stored images
and returns image analysis results to the database.
Using the Discovery-1 viewing module, simple
queries can be made to review analyzed images.
UIC Software for the Plate Crane from Hudson Control
Group support 60 or 240 plate storage capacity.
Discovery-1 may also be integrated with other custom
robotics and fluidics systems.
With Discovery-1’s open architecture and its vast array
of functions and tools, the possibilities of cell-based
screening are limitless.
View Multiple Probes in a Single Color Image
Overlay multiple fluorophore images to visually inspect the distribution of each probe.
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Specifications
• High-speed digital cooled CCD camera
(Other cameras also available)
• Microscope body
Custom automated microscope
20 MHz Digitizer
100% light directed to camera port
Imaging array – 1392 x 1040
Transmitted light option (Q2-’02)
Pixel size – 6.45 microns
14-inch footprint for bench top mounting
• High-speed mechanical focus device
• 10 Position software-controlled filter wheels
Robot compatible
• Fluorescence Excitation Light Source
10 Excitation filter positions
175 watt Xenon arc bulb
10 Emission filter positions
Long life – 1,000+ hours
10 Neutral Density filter positions
Easy bulb swap-out, no focusing required
5 standard filters provided
Liquid light guide for even illumination
• High-Speed Dichroic Changer (patent pending)
Allows for high light throughput
• System Expandability
Additional Image Storage RAID Server
Additional Remote Analysis Stations
• Fully automated six-piece objective turret
Nikon® Plan Apo and other objectives available
Standard options include 2x, 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x,
and 60x long working-distance objectives
40x and 60x optimized for glass or plastic
microtiter plates
• Database Structure
Oracle database compatible
Microsoft SQL Supported
• Freely configurable analysis assays
www.discovery-1.com
402 Boot Road
Downingtown, PA 19335
Tel: 610-873-5610 • Fax: 610-873-5499
www.universal-imaging.com
Domestic US Sales
Tel: 610-873-5610
E-mail: sales@universal-imaging.com
International Dealers
For updated information:
www.universal-imaging.com/sales
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