AI cell analysis app aims to advance biotechnology research – UBC Faculty of Medicine

The transformative technology developed at the Vancouver Prostate Center (VPC) puts cell analysis in the hands of scientists around the world. The technology — an artificial intelligence (AI)-based smartphone app called SnapCyte — produces data for medical cell growth research faster and at a fraction of the cost of current technology.

“We created SnapCyte because of the need for affordable, basic cell analysis that is accessible to any scientist working in a cell culture or biotechnology lab,” says Dr. Mads Daugaard, Associate Professor of Urological Sciences at UBC and Senior Research Scientist at VPC. “This app makes inexpensive and powerful laboratory technology commercially available that can be conveniently accessed via smartphone.”

The first-of-its-kind smartphone app, used to analyze cancer cells and other diseases on a microscopic scale, aims to advance the development of novel, personalized medical treatments. dr Daugaard and his team at the VPC, a center of excellence hosted by UBC and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, developed the technology based on their own need for fast and accurate cell growth data. Now they want to make the groundbreaking technology available to researchers around the world.

“The app provides precise data results within five minutes,” he says. “Using previous technology, this process would typically take 45 minutes to an hour with state-of-the-art live cell imaging and analysis platforms, or 24 hours with colorimetric assays.”

dr Mads Daugaard

Researchers say SnapCyte simplifies workflows without sacrificing accuracy. Unlike current technology that uses duplicate samples of a cell culture with a medium/serum solution, SnapCyte can be used for experiments in the plates on which the cell culture is grown. It also collects cumulative cell data and displays it in growth curves to help monitor cell development over time, which can be easily shared by researchers.

“We developed SnapCyte based on the need for affordable, basic cell analysis that is accessible to any scientist working in a cell culture or biotechnology lab.”
dr Mads Daugaard

“All you have to do is take the plate with the cell culture out of the incubator for a minute and put it under a microscope, where you can then photograph it with your smartphone,” says Dr. Daugaard.

Scientists can also continuously monitor cell growth in the same well or stack of plates and add nucleic acids or other substances – in a process called transfection – when it’s optimal.

“This platform can be very helpful in drug screening,” says Dr. Daugaard. “When comparing multiple drug candidates, SnapCyte can very accurately and quickly assess how each drug affects cancer or other cells to identify the most effective treatment.”

Brings cell analytics within the reach of labs around the world

At a few hundred dollars a year, the app’s affordability makes the platform an accessible option for labs that can’t purchase expensive cell analyzers.

“Many labs don’t have the funds to buy $25,000 to $30,000 of new machines or the budget to fund the ongoing investments of thousands of dollars per month required to keep the equipment running,” says dr Daugaard.

SnapCyte’s cloud-based platform not only enables users to accurately measure their collective cell culture data within minutes – the collected big data could also provide important insights to further advance scientific research.

The app’s AI algorithm continuously learns from the data it receives from its users, says Dr. Daugaard. While data is protected, the app’s effectiveness will improve over time as it learns from and shares insights with the research community.

“It’s time to democratize research, and that’s what we’re doing here,” says Dr. Daugaard. “We’re bringing something to market at a fraction of the cost that works at least as well – or even better – than many other devices currently available.”

The SnapCyte app is currently in final beta testing and is expected to launch globally early next year.

A version of this story originally appeared on the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute website.