FlowCam - Flow Imaging Microscopy Blog

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.”

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.

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.

We're committed to partnering with you to understand your challenges, clarify your goals, and provide you with a practical solution for your analytical needs.

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.

Particle analysis is a critical but often tedious task for researchers in analytical laboratories. Data collection is not only time-consuming but can involve additional sample handling steps that introduce inconsistencies to the final measurements. Automation provides a natural solution to these issues, and automated liquid handlers (ALH) use robotics to perform sample processing enabling analysis with minimal human intervention. Automation not only vastly reduces the time and effort required from operators to perform experiments but, in the context of analytical instruments, helps users collect more reproducible and overall higher quality data.

Scientists from around the world have been using FlowCam for over 20 years to better understand the ecosystems in our lakes, rivers, and oceans.

As new research is published, we continue to review the literature where FlowCam is utilized for essential and innovative studies in aquatic research. The publications included in our most recent list showcase important FlowCam applications in marine and freshwater research.

When you buy a FlowCam, it's more than just an instrument for your lab. It represents a partnership! You join our FlowCam family and gain access to our team of technical experts dedicated to supporting and improving your FlowCam and VisualSpreadsheet experiences.

Flow Imaging Microscopy (FIM) has emerged as an essential tool and an increasingly common approach in analytical labs for the quantification and characterization of particles in biotherapeutics. The body of scientific research using FlowCam technology to analyze biotherapeutic samples is continuing to grow and expand. 

These publications not only demonstrate the utility of FlowCam in biotherapeutic development and manufacturing but highlight exciting new applications for FlowCam such as artificial intelligence-based particle analysis as well as cell and gene therapy development.

The new ALH for FlowCam^TM Automated Liquid Handling system is ready for deployment in your lab. Automated liquid handlers (ALHs) use robotics to perform sample processing and analysis with minimal human intervention. Automation reduces the time and effort required from operators to process samples and offers improved repeatability, safer lab operation, and increased productivity.  

ALH for FlowCam provides unattended analysis of up to 384 samples and is compatible with all new and existing  FlowCam 8000 series instruments, FlowCam LO, and FlowCam Cyano.  The ALH offers flexible hardware and a configurable deck platform that allow the instrument to meet each user's specific workflow requirements, including sample preparation such as mixing, dilution and heating/cooling, as well as instrument cleaning. 

Particles are ubiquitous in biotherapeutics and can drastically impact the efficacy of a given drug. Therefore, characterizing them is a critical step in biotherapeutic development, both to ensure samples meet particle limits set by regulations like USP <787/788>, and to maximize the safety and efficacy of the therapeutic.

New, innovative technologies may help researchers working with these therapies better understand the particles in their samples and, in turn, make more informed decisions about a sample’s quality.