Converting endpoint microplate assays to real-time data output

Microplate readers are an essential tool for drug discovery and screening-based applications. While the use of plate readers in automatised high-throughput screening platforms enables the analysis of large sample numbers, this approach is mainly focussed on endpoint analysis and results. This can be problematic when trying to answer biological questions with unknown timing and duration of effect.

In this talk, we explore how continuous monitoring of different parameters such as cellular viability, gene expression, metabolic activity and transcriptional regulation in live cells can advance high-throughput studies from endpoint to real-time. For this purpose, cells can be induced to continuously modulate their luminescence signals through the expression of a synthetic luciferase, not requiring any external excitation. The CLARIOstar Plus microplate reader with Atmospheric Control Unit (ACU) provides the best environment for real-time live cell assays. Moreover the Enhanced Dynamic Range (EDR) technology enables to efficiently measure cell-based kinetics without manual intervention. Multiplexing different applications (e.g.: combining luminescence and fluorescence intensity detection) can also be easily set up. These features, combined with our MARS data analysis software, help to quickly and effectively generate more data earlier in the pipeline and to better analyse them.

For more details on continuous measurement of metabolic activity for multiple days on the CLARIOstar Plus with ACU, you can have a look at our application note Autobioluminescent cells report real-time changes in cellular metabolism in response to pharmacological challenges.