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FIND Cell enables scientists to digitize, organize, verify, and find their cell culture-related information – which is critical for biomedical research.
FREMONT, CA: Lack of reproducibility is a critical problem in biomedical science, wasting both time and billions of dollars every year. The Correspondence "Tracking cell lineages improves research reproducibility," published in Nature Biotechnology, lays the scientific foundation for a brand-new software platform called FIND Cell, a unique tool that aims to improve the reproducibility of cell-based science.
FIND Cell integrates daily cell line tracking with genetic verification. It enables scientists to digitize, organize, verify, and find their cell culture-related information critical for biomedical research.
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FIND Cell was co-created by molecular cell biologist Sophie Zaaijer Ph.D., and computational biologist Tyler Joseph Ph.D. They formed a joint collaboration after noticing an opportunity: Dr. Zaaijer says: "Most cell tracking is done using pen and paper or Excel spreadsheets. Such de-centralized, manual methods are prone to error and are inefficient in collaborative laboratory environments. Cell technologies are evolving rapidly -- such as CRISPR and organoid technologies -- but tools to track these high-value assets are lacking."
Dr. Joseph comments: "We found a way to help solve the reproducibility crisis, and at the same time support scientists in the lab." Dr. Joseph continues: "It is heartbreaking when you hear the individual stories of researchers, junior and senior, who had to throw away years of work because they unknowingly received an incorrect cell line from a collaborating lab a decade earlier. This not only wastes money and time – it is psychologically very tough. Scientists are passionate about their work and results."
To understand and serve the workflows needed for various cell types – including cancer cells, stem cells, organoids, and primary cultures –Dr. Zaaijer and Dr. Joseph worked with different scientists from major NYC universities and the pharmaceutical industry to discuss their preferences and needs. 'Working with these highly driven and smart scientists is enriching and motivating; it became clear we created something that matters," Zaaijer says.
"According to our users, FIND Cell saves time on a day-to-day basis and reduces the risk of experimental failures," says Dr. Joseph. "We currently have scientists across 13 top tier universities and institutions actively using FIND Cell. We are happy to see their interest and the rapid adoption across institutions."
The team provides online interactive cell culture workshops for cell biologists. They developed a training method to consciously reflect on current cell culture habits and discover opportunities to optimize day-to-day efficiency and accuracy. FIND Cell is increasingly used to train new (Ph.D.) students. Dr. Zaaijer says: "It lowers the time commitment for PhD students, Postdocs and Principal Investigators (PIs), promotes consistency in training, and standardizes laboratory workflow protocols. We are excited our platform contributes to teach the new generation. They are the future of science."
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