Molecular Devices announces major upgrade to CellXpress.ai system

Molecular Devices, LLC., a leading provider of high-performance life science solutions, has unveiled a major upgrade to its CellXpress.ai Automated Cell Culture System. With the integration of rocking incubation, the system now supports the development and long-term maintenance of brain organoids, dramatically reducing manual workload and enabling faster progress in neurodegenerative disease research.

Brain organoids—miniature 3D models of the human brain—are powerful tools for studying complex neurological conditions. But cultivating them is notoriously labor-intensive, often requiring over 100 days of daily feeding and monitoring due to their high metabolic demands and sensitivity to nutrient distribution.

These demanding workflows can now be automated with a new rocking incubator ensuring consistent nutrient flow. By combining automation with AI-powered decision making, scientists can now ensure consistent, healthy organoid development over extended timescales without constant human oversight.

“With this new automation feature, we’re freeing scientists from the relentless demands of long-term brain organoid growth,” said Mary Duseau, President of Molecular Devices. “The CellXpress.aicell culture system streamlines these complex workflows so researchers can focus on what matters most: accelerating insights into diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and advancing a future where human-relevant models are the norm.”

Manually maintaining just 10 brain organoid plates requires nearly 27 hours of hands-on time each week. Now, by automating the process, that same manual work is reduced to just a few hours.

“Rocking incubation is key to automating the brain organoid workflow, and we’ve incorporated it into a modular rack design that combines rocking and static conditions—supporting stem cell and organoid growth in parallel,” said Felix Spira, Senior Manager of Hardware Engineering and Applications at Molecular Devices. “This flexibility enables full workflow automation, from stem cell maintenance through to organoid generation and downstream assay. The result is reduced variability, improved reproducibility, and continuous cultivation with minimal manual intervention.”

Beyond time savings, the CellXpress.ai system brings scientific precision to brain organoid development. It automates feeding and imaging on a fixed schedule—including weekends—ensuring consistent treatment across samples and minimising variability. The system also reduces cross-contamination risks, maintains optimal media conditions at 37°C, and captures full-well imaging with advanced feature analysis. Researchers can now track the entire cell journey over time, unlocking deeper insights while preserving culture integrity.

These enhancements strengthen the CellXpress.ai system’s position as a hub for 3D biology innovation—simplifying complex workflows, improving reproducibility, and accelerating drug discovery through better use of human-relevant models. They also reflect Molecular Devices’ broader commitment to transforming how labs scale complex biology and push the boundaries of what’s possible in life science.

This article by one of our Danaher Life Sciences thought leaders was originally published in Med Techinsights. Shared here by permission.