SPT Labtech has partnered with Semarion to integrate its firefly liquid handling platform with Semarion’s SemaCyte microcarrier technology, aiming to streamline and miniaturize complex cell-based assays. The collaboration promises to unlock new, flexible workflows for applications like cell painting and high-content imaging, enhancing both reproducibility and throughput for cellular research and drug screening.

Cell-based assays are essential to early-stage drug discovery and disease modeling, but their complexity and sensitivity often make them difficult to automate or scale. By integrating a next-generation liquid handler with an innovative approach to cell handling, the collaboration aims to simplify and accelerate assay development without compromising data quality or biological relevance.

Semarion’s SemaCyte technology uses functionalized microcarriers to support the growth and manipulation of adherent cells in suspension. This makes it possible to miniaturize assays traditionally constrained by surface area, while enabling easier handling and higher-throughput formats. When combined with firefly’s compact, modular liquid handler—designed to offer precision and flexibility in small lab spaces – the result is a powerful, automated system suitable for complex workflows such as high-content imaging and cell painting.

The two companies plan to co-develop proof-of-concept data, application protocols, and workflow optimization strategies to support researchers working with high-value cell-based applications. By removing technical bottlenecks in assay preparation, handling, and scalability, they aim to improve experimental reproducibility and reduce time to insight – especially in areas like oncology, neurology, and phenotypic screening.

Maryia Karpiyevich, product development scientist at SPT Labtech, said the collaboration represents an opportunity to empower scientists at the cutting edge of cellular research. “We’re excited to explore how microcarrier-based technologies like Semarion’s can be integrated into our flexible automation platforms to support innovation in cell biology,” she said.

Jeroen Verheyen, CEO and co-founder at Semarion, highlighted the potential to unlock new workflows by combining platforms. “This partnership allows us to create miniaturized systems that streamline assay development and provide more scalable options for cell-based discovery,” he said.

The collaboration underscores a growing demand in the biopharma sector for tools that make advanced assays more accessible and adaptable. Both companies are focused on equipping researchers with solutions that can evolve alongside scientific needs – whether scaling up for screening campaigns or down for niche applications.