- Label-free, high-throughput target molecule measurement using mass spectrometry
- Successful retrieval of viable cells of interest
- Workflows tailored to your needs via our Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering
- Run all your projects with Sphere Fluidics
Spectra-Mine®
Spectra-Mine® applies mass spectrometry to picodroplets, offering a unique label-free method for automatically identifying and selecting valuable cells. This approach enables customized workflows for high-throughput, cost-effective, and accurate screening without the need for fluorescence assays.
Picodroplets + mass spectrometry = results
While powerful, mass spectrometry alone is often unsuitable for high-throughput screening or delicate single cell samples due to potential destruction, making it less ideal for detecting rare cells. Using picodroplets such challenges can be overcome. Single cells are encapsulated in picodroplets, which retain analytes in each individual droplet. The droplets are incubated to promote cell growth and metabolic processes. Each picodroplet is then split into two daughter picodroplets without loss of the droplet content. One part is injected into the mass spectrometer for measurement using electrospray ionization; the other part is kept in a flow channel. The spectrum is analysed, and the second part selected to be retained if it is a ‘hit’ – all done automatically in real time.
Label-free screening
Spectra-Mine® extends the power of high-throughput picodroplets screening with label-free measurement for selection. Instead of developing a fluorescence assay – which is not always possible, particularly for metabolites and other small molecules – we can assess your molecules of interest, directly, using mass spectrometry.
Retrieve your rare cells alive
Spectra-Mine® addresses the mass spectrometry inherent challenge of destructive measurement of low-volume, precious or single-cell samples. A portion of your cells – all derived from a single clone – are retained in a safe, low-stress picodroplet environment during the mass spectrum measurement and sorted alive using our established electric-field based picodroplet selection technology.
Access via our PaaS offering
Giving you ultimate flexibility, Spectra-Mine® can be configured to match your workflow by varying the ratio of daughter droplet sizes, include fluorescence or optical measurements, optimize the spectrum analysis algorithms and more. We’ll collaborate with you to tailor a workflow according to your requirements and provide you with screen results. Contact us today and let’s discuss how we can support your project needs.
Learn more about Spectra-Mine®
Built on picodroplets
At the heart of our platforms are picodroplets. These are tiny droplets of aqueous fluid in an oil carrier fluid (‘single aqueous’), or an aqueous core surrounded by an oil shell in an aqueous carrier fluid ( ‘double aqueous’).
Each picodroplet is used to encapsulate a cell. This provides an ultra-miniaturized test tube, containing media, reagents and cells, that allows large-scale experiments at the single cell level.
These droplets can then be processed to build complex workflows to find the cells you care about.
Limitless applications
Spectra-Mine® can be used in numerous applications in life sciences R&D. Here are some examples to fire up your imagination.
Strain engineering
Determine the efficiency of engineered enzymes on native substrates
Bioprocessing
Identify high-expressing cell lines for small-molecule APIs
Interaction studies
Measure drug interactions with soluble proteins for structure-activity interaction studies
Contact us to find out what Spectra-Mine® can do for you
Let us show you how our technology adapts to your research.
