FlowCam - Flow Imaging Microscopy Blog

Geometry can play a crucial role in the performance of fibers in different applications. Shape factors that influence performance include length (i.e. size of the longest dimension of the fiber), width (i.e. size of the shortest dimension), and curl. Despite the importance of fiber geometry, many conventional particle sizing measurements struggle to accurately capture the morphology of these particles.

The analytical lab at McCrone Associates (Westmont, IL) specializes in materials characterization and identification of particle contaminants and microscopic defects in a wide range of industrial and pharmaceutical materials. 

Historically, McCrone has not focused on enumeration. Their strengths have been in identifying materials at the micro- and nanometer scale using a variety of analytical techniques. With the addition of FlowCam to their analytical lab, they can now expand their enumeration capabilities by supplementing their current process with size distribution and concentration data. Additionally, morphological results from FlowCam will be directly correlated with the traditional microscopy-based results and identifications thereby enhancing the quality and statistical accuracy provided by particle enumeration projects. 

“There is great value in seeing images of the particles and of the actual contaminants,” says Dr. Craig Schwandt, Director of Industrial Services and Senior Research Scientist at McCrone Associates. “It allows us to identify particle type and particle source via morphology, which increases the strength of the finding.”

Carbon sequestration refers to the capture, removal, and storage of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere. It is a key process in stabilizing carbon in solid and dissolved forms that doesn't contribute to atmospheric warming and climate change. There are biological and geological mechanisms of carbon sequestration with oceans absorbing approximately 25% of anthropogenically produced CO₂ annually.

IFPAC, the International Forum for Process Analytical Chemistry, holds an annual conference that brings together scientists working in Process Analytical Technologies, QbD, Process Understanding & Control, and Real-Time Analytics. Professionals in these fields meet in person to discuss the latest trends and get ideas for the future of the industry. Research is presented in applications ranging from biopharmaceuticals to chemicals to food and beverage.

Excessive nutrients in Nantucket’s harbors cause several negative impacts on existing habitats. These impacts include eelgrass loss, decreased shellfish populations, and harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs can result in the closure of recreational waters for activities like swimming and boating. HABs also cause fishery closures and negatively impact plants and organisms living in the harbor.

We're excited to announce the release of VisualAI^TM software for protein biotherapeutics. An add-on for VisualSpreadsheet 6, VisualAI is a pre-trained, AI-driven image analysis module to recognize images of subvisible aggregates in biotherapeutics captured on any FlowCam 8100 or FlowCam LO instrument.

VisualAI is a powerful tool for quantifying protein aggregate and silicone oil droplet content in any protein-based drug product.

Utilizing proper capture settings during image acquisition is crucial to obtaining accurate concentration and sizing data with FlowCam. Distance to nearest neighbor (DNN) is an important capture setting that specifies the distance (in µm) required between two particles for them to be imaged separately. Properly optimizing DNN ensures that only one complete particle is captured per image.  

In May 2022 our FlowCam Aquatic Team attended the Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting (JASM) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This historic meeting brought together scientists from nine different societies to form the largest gathering of its kind in history. It was a welcome change after two years of virtual meetings and limited in-person collaboration. 

We are happy to announce the winner of the 2022 FlowCam Aquatic Research Grant, Kelsey Meyer, a Ph.D. candidate studying marine biology at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) College of Life Sciences and Agriculture in Dr. Bonnie Brown's research group. Kelsey is pictured here holding a European Green Crab (also referred to as the green crab).

Kelsey oversees Dr. Brown's lab field sampling efforts which include taking samples from Great Bay Estuary (GBE) in southeastern New Hampshire. Specifically, Kelsey's Ph.D. research aims to determine the extent to which green crabs are a predator of oysters, and if so, at what specific life stage for each species.

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Working closely with our marketing and customer care teams to create a seamless experience, we will guide you through the process of learning about Flow Imaging Microscopy and help you determine which instrument is best suited for your application.