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High Content Analysis

High Content Analysis

In recent years, research in the life sciences has been energised through major advances in microscopy instrumentation, novel fluorescent probes, and a more comprehensive understanding of various genomes. Together with the availability of vast libraries of genomic and chemical tools, the systematic probing of gene and cell function has now become a possibility. This experimental strategy, when based on fluorescence imaging, is termed high content screening (HCS) and analysis (HCA). Its power lies in the fact that cellular perturbations can be observed and captured by automated microscopes, and single cells analysed and quantified at subcellular resolution. The result is that vast data sets can be easily produced, and new molecular links rapidly established.

HCS and HCA use a combination of instrumentation and infrastructure depending on the project type and scale. The following items of key instrumentation are available:

  • Automated cell plating and washing - Integra WellJet
  • Automated cell washing - BioTek ELx405cw
  • Automated liquid handling (large-scale) - Hamilton STAR robot
  • Automated liquid handling (small/mid-scale) - Integra AssistPlus system
  • Automated liquid handling (small/mid-scale) - Integra ViaFlo-96 system
  • Automated liquid handling (small/mid-scale) - Integra ViaFlo and Voyager electronic multichannel pipettes
  • Automated microscopy - Olympus Scan^R high content screening microscope
  • Automated microscopy - Zeiss Celldiscoverer7 high content screening microscope
  • Automated microscopy - Perkin Elmer (Revvity) Opera Phenix confocal high content screening microscope
  • Automated image analysis - Perkin Elmer (Revvity) Harmony platform
  • Automated image analysis - Zeiss Arivis platform

  • Rapid and reliable automated plating of cells into 96-well and 384-well format plates
  • Automated cell plating provides highly reproducible cell numbers
  • Automated washing of cells within an assay
  • Cell washer is integrated with the liquid handling platform

  • High capacity, low volume liquid handling using 96-channel head
  • Precision liquid handling using 1-8 tip individual channels
  • On-deck cooling, heating and shaking of plates
  • Bar-coding for experiment / plate tracking
  • Full control of assay design, fully programmable
  • Offline design of liquid handling / pipetting protocols (Integra AssistPlus)

  • Fully automated bright-field and fluorescence imaging of any plate format
  • Compatible with plastic and glass substrates
  • Hardware and software autofocus capability
  • User-defined imaging of any combination of wells and sub-positions within wells
  • Confocal and non-confocal options
  • Environmental chamber to regulate temperature and CO2 levels during imaging
  • Hypoxia experiments possible

  • High volume image data storage and management
  • The most advanced HCA software solutions 
  • Intuitive image analysis pipeline development for complex image analysis routines
  • Wide range of image analysis tools, including intensity, morphometric and texture-based measurements
  • Tools for data visualisation and data mining

The HCS / HCA platform is located in the UCD Cell Screening Laboratory in Science Centre South / CSCB building (room L026). This space houses the entire infrastructure associated with HCS / HCA projects, with cell culture facilities located close by.

Training is required for the use of either individual pieces of equipment or the entire pipeline. We offer in depth training sessions for the Olympus Scan^R HCS microscope, the Zeiss CD7 HCS microscope, the Revvity Opera Phenix confocal and the various image analysis platforms.

For general enquiries, including collaborative research studies, contact: Prof. Jeremy Simpson ((opens in a new window)jeremy.simpson@ucd.ie). Further information can be found at: http://www.ucd.ie/hcs

Current research portfolio include: analysis of organelle morphology, nanoparticle trafficking, bacterial infection and invasion assays, phagocytosis assays, wound healing assays, volumetric spheroid-based assays. 

UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 6700 | E: conway@ucd.ie