ImageXpress HCS.AI Advanced System

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Description

The system will provide researchers from various research groups with a microscopy solution suitable for a wide range of current and future experimental applications. These include high-content screening of pharmacological and biological perturbations across a range of sample carriers (including microscope slides, multiwell plate formats, and specialized geometries such as U-shaped plates), quantitative analysis of physiologically relevant 3D models (including tissue samples, spheroids, and organoids), and imaging of complex co-culture systems requiring multi-compartment or insert-based configurations. Uniqueness statement: The described procurement concerns a highly specialized high-content confocal imaging system required to support advanced, large-scale biological experiments within a shared research infrastructure. The requirements define a tightly integrated combination of functionalities, including: • High-throughput plate-based acquisition of multiwell experiments (96-384 well formats) within defined time constraints, with full plate acquisition achievable in the order of 1-5 minutes for single-position imaging and ≤30-60 minutes under realistic screening conditions, including multiple imaging positions per well (≥9), multi-channel fluorescence acquisition (≥3 channels), and Z-stack acquisition (≥20 planes). Full 96-well plate confocal imaging (≥3 channels, ≥20x objective) must be achievable within ≤10 minutes at one position per well. • Confocal optical sectioning for imaging of thick 3D biological samples, with effective penetration and signal quality for structures in the range of 50-200 um (up to ~300 um depending on sample type). For this, the imaging system must be able to operate in both widefield and spinning disk confocal modes. Availability of a minimum of two (2) confocal spinning disc geometries under software control, with options optimized for different applications, such as high-resolution, high-speed, and deep-penetration imaging, with the option for future disc upgrades. • Low phototoxicity and low photobleaching imaging conditions, enabling repeated imaging of the same samples for time-lapse experiments over hours to days, including sensitive 3D cultures and live-cell assays. • High-power laser excitation (up to 800 mW) combined with a motorized XY-stage and Z control with high-precision positioning (<25 nm resolution in all axes) and the stability required for reliable time-lapse imaging of the same sites over several hours or days is needed. • A software-controlled, automated objective turret with at least six (6) positions, equipped with a range of air and water immersion objectives from 2x to 60x magnification that includes options for both high numerical aperture (NA) and extra-long working distance. The system must be equipped with a fully automated water immersion objective system with 20x and 40x water immersion objectives, and support optional magnification changes via an additional, software-selectable tube lens (1.5x). • Independent emission filter wheel (≥8 positions) and dichroic filter wheel (≥4 positions), equipped with filter sets for imaging DAPI, CFP, FITC, YFP, TRITC, TxRed, Cy5, and Cy7, or their equivalents. • Fully automated, high-content acquisition workflows, enabling reproducible imaging of large datasets (≥100-1000 imaging sites per experiment) with minimal user intervention. • A high-sensitivity sCMOS camera with high peak quantum efficiency (≥95%). The system is required to support high-speed image streaming for dynamic live-cell assays such as calcium imaging. The requirement is acquisition at ≥80 fps at full resolution and ≥100 fps at reduced resolution (using binning). • Integrated environmental control for physiologically relevant experiments with integrated gasmixer in the system for precise control of CO2 and O2 levels to create both normal and hypoxic conditions. • Integrated, high-throughput image analysis capabilities, including automated segmentation, feature extraction, and compatibility with AI machine learning-based analysis pipelines, enabling efficient processing and quantification of large-scale datasets. Possibility of importing images from 3rd party instruments for analysis is required. These requirements are not independent, but must be fulfilled simultaneously within a single, unified system architecture to ensure technical suitability, data quality, and operational feasibility. While individual elements of the required functionality may be available in other systems, available alternatives do not provide the full combination of required capabilities within a single, fully integrated high-content screening platform. In practice, alternative solutions rely on partial, modular, or loosely integrated configurations, where acquisition, automation, and analysis are handled by separate components or software environments. This prevents consistent, reproducible execution of large-scale experiments and introduces technical limitations in throughput, data consistency, and workflow integration. The ImageXpress HCS.AI Advanced platform is identified as the only system available that meets all specified requirements as an integrated solution. No alternative suppliers can deliver a technically equivalent system without introducing significant limitations that render the solution unsuitable for the intended research applications. Consequently, the procurement is considered to fall under a situation where competition is absent for technical reasons, as only one supplier can deliver a system that fulfils the defined requirements.

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