The Analytical Scientist Innovation Awards 2024
Meet the products – and the experts – defining analytical innovation in 2024
| 10 min read | Technology
15 – BEAM
The first dedicated single-point spectrometer – “unleashing the full power of FT-NIR spectroscopy”
Produced by Bruker Corporation
14 – EVOQ DART-TQ+
Chromatography-free triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry for point-of-need routine analysis
Produced by Bruker Corporation
13 – Vericheck ddPCR Replication Competent Kits (Lentivirus and AAV)
Quick and cost-effective solutions for the absolute quantification of replication competent lentivirus and AAV genes
Produced by Bio-Rad Laboratories
12 – Pegasus BTX
The smallest and most sensitive GC-TOFMS on the market
Produced by LECO
11 – Agilent ProteoAnalyzer System
Automated parallel capillary electrophoresis system for protein analysis
Produced by Agilent Technologies
10 – LiCellMo (Live Cell Metabolic Analyzer)
Laboratory instrument allowing researchers to visualize changes in cell metabolism in real time
Produced by the Biomedical Division of PHC Corporation, a member of PHC Group
LiCellMo offers real-time visualization of metabolic changes in cell cultures, giving researchers a comprehensive view of cell activity. Unlike traditional methods that rely on periodic sampling – prone to contamination and gaps in data – LiCellMo provides continuous minute-by-minute measurements of glucose and lactate levels.
Insights from the LiCellMo team
“The development of the LiCellMo was driven by impact. We seek to partner with researchers to provide precision healthcare technology where it is needed most, and we believe that continuous monitoring will lead to more effective cell and gene therapy processes.”
“The in-line monitoring technology featured in LiCellMo builds on proprietary technology from a blood glucose monitoring sensor developed by another part of PHC Group, the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Division. The breakthrough for LiCellMo was when we realized we could use this BGM technology from the IVD business to develop a sensor for monitoring culture media.”
What the judges say…
“Simply cool technology in cell monitoring!”
9 – ZT Scan DIA
Next-gen data-independent acquisition for quantitative proteomics
Produced by SCIEX
Building on SCIEX’s established workflows, such as SWATH DIA and Zeno SWATH DIA, this new approach provides the comprehensive coverage DIA is known for while delivering enhanced precision, sensitivity, and selectivity characteristic of targeted quantitative workflows. In a nutshell, the ZT Scan DIA offers the ability to quantify more proteins with greater accuracy, bridging the gap between protein identification and translational applications.
Insights from Chief Research Scientist Steve Tate
“This drive to move proteomics into clinical cohorts, and understand critical biological questions, is resulting in extremely large sample sets. Given traditional LC/MS methods, where it would take 1 hour to identify and quantify 10,000 samples, ZT Scan DIA can analyze it in a fraction of the time, which will drive more biological insight and understanding of disease.”
8 – Echo MS+ System
Expanding high-throughput screening with acoustic ejection mass spectrometry
Produced by SCIEX
The Echo MS+ system integrates Acoustic Ejection Mass Spectrometry (AEMS) technology and Open Port Interface (OPI) sampling with the capabilities of the SCIEX ZenoTOF 7600 or Triple Quad 6500+ systems. This combination enables high-quality qualitative and quantitative results across a wide range of high-throughput screening workflows.
Insights from the Echo MS+ Team
“The Echo MS+ system expands the use of the mass spectrometry by addressing throughput limitations that have historically constrained its application in critical workflows,” says Jose Castro-Perez, Vice President, Product Management at SCIEX.
“One memorable moment was the first successful demonstration of in-situ kinetics, allowing real-time analysis of reactions as they occur,” says Chang Liu, Staff Research Scientist at SCIEX. “Another milestone was the execution of our first large-scale screening, showcasing the scalability and efficiency of the technology.”
What the judges say…
“An important addition to those performing high throughput clinical studies using MS.”
“Mass spectrometry keeps on innovating!”
7 – ScalePlex
Multiplexing technology for large-scale single-cell omics
Produced by Scale Biosciences
ScalePlex enables the simultaneous analysis of over 300 samples, conditions, or time points – far exceeding the limits of traditional single-cell sequencing methods, which typically process only 12 samples at a time. Powered by Scale Bio’s Quantum barcoding technology, the workflow adds an oligo tagging step during fixation, avoiding the limitations of lipid- or antibody-based tagging. This streamlined process eliminates individual fixation and washing steps, preserving small or valuable samples often used in oncology and neuroscience research.
Insights from co-founder Frank Steemers
“ScalePlex technology enables experimental flexibility from small to large scale, multi-sample, multi-condition studies at single cell resolution.”
“The ‘aha moment’ came when we discovered that oligonucleotides simply attach to nuclei or cells during fixation. We realized we could leverage this functionality as a sample barcode for single cell profiling.”
“The magic is its simplicity with cell fixation and sample barcoding performed simultaneously. Further, the sooner samples or conditions are pooled into a single workflow, the less batch effects occur.”
What the judges say…
“Essential innovation in high throughput single cell multiomics.”
6 – Syft Explorer
The world's first fully mobile, real-time, and direct trace gas analyzer
Produced by Syft Technologies
The Syft Explorer enables real-time trace gas analysis with its portable mobile trolley design. With a runtime of up to 1.5 hours, this mobile mass spectrometer detects volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and inorganic compounds directly at the point of interest. Designed for contamination control engineers, researchers, production technicians, and environmental engineers, the Syft Explorer provides rapid analysis of airborne molecular contaminants, industrial pollutants, and toxic compounds at their source.
Insights from product management head William Pelet
“The Syft AMC Explorer is the only fully mobile, real-time and direct trace gas analyser capable of monitoring almost any volatile compound.”
“We collaborated with our South Korean team and a key customer which was critical in providing a rich understanding of how our product would be used. Thoroughly understanding the problem ensures we develop the right solution. Plus, collaboration is always fun!”
“Several Syft colleagues from different technical specialties were involved in ideating and executing on this work. Innovations happened across the mechanical, electrical, and software designs to enable this product to exist.”
5 – Pyxis
A simple, scalable AI-powered platform for untargeted absolute quantitation of analytes
Produced by Matterworks, Inc.
Matterworks are taking powerful AI techniques developed for language and image processing and applying them to LC-MS data – enabling the direct transformation of uninterpreted, raw LC-MS data to a biologically actionable list of the identities and concentrations of detected metabolites. Pyxis standardizes the entire process of untargeted analyte quantitation – eliminating the need for per-analyte calibration, peak selection, integration, and manual data analysis.
Insights from CEO and co-founder Jack Geremia
“We see the potential to more than double the success rate of life-science pipeline R&D.”
“Our eureka moment was realizing that molecular data, the most powerful data for explaining and predicting complex emergent biology, are already acquired at sufficient scale to enable a fundamental shift in how we perform life-science R&D.”
“My innovation philosophy is to identify large unmet needs where there is an almost obvious technical solution, just that it doesn’t yet quite exist. Such solutions often lie at the interface of multiple traditional scientific and engineering disciplines.”
What the judges say…
“Smart application of AI for the analysis of LC-MS data.”
4 – Thermo Scientific Stellar MS
Completing a key piece of the translational research workflow by verifying new biomarker discoveries
Produced by Thermo Fisher Scientific
The Stellar mass spectrometer quantifies nearly 10,000 peptides per hour and offers four times higher sample throughput, significantly improving the speed and scale of biomarker translation from discovery to validation. Its advanced data acquisition capabilities enable robust, reproducible quantitation across a wide range of analytes and molecular classes, supporting extended dynamic range studies.
Insights from the Stellar MS Team
“The innovation within Stellar MS fundamentally changed my perspective,” says Philip Remes, senior scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “It demonstrated that a simpler MS instrument could outperform high-end instruments in certain scenarios, particularly where speed and sensitivity were more crucial than very high mass accuracy and resolution.”
“A key issue is reducing the time from discovery to clinical research,” says Cristina Jacob, product manager for the Stellar MS. “Tools like the Stellar MS can expedite verification of biomarkers, making a substantial impact on future healthcare by improving lab productivity today.”
What the judges say…
“A brighter future for high resolution high content MS and its high throughput applications.”
“Moving biological MS into the translational research realm.”
3 – OptoVolt Module
A multiphoton microscopy module that enables millisecond neural event imaging at single neuron resolution
Produced by Bruker Corporation
OptoVolt enables imaging at over 1000 frames per second, capturing millisecond-scale neural communication dynamics. Optimized for fluorescent voltage indicators, it offers the temporal precision and signal-to-noise ratio required to detect individual neural events. When combined with Bruker’s NeuraLight 3D Ultra spatial light modulator, OptoVolt allows researchers to explore neural input-output relationships with exceptional temporal and spatial resolution, advancing the study of complex neural networks.
Insights from technology lead Jimmy Fong
“The hope is that this module will allow neuroscientists to study neural communication with a temporal resolution, which has been difficult in the past.”
“Much of the credit goes to the inventors of the core technology at Boston University and the collaboration and licensing of the technique crucial to the development of our imaging system.”
“One philosophy that has worked recently for us has been the idea of ‘failing fast’ – prototyping several concepts in parallel or getting multiple opinions from different sources.”
What the judges say…
“Characterization of single neurons – an important step to enable organ-on-chip and cell single analysis.”
“A breakthrough in neurological measurement technology.”
2 – Depixus MAGNA One
The world’s first commercial technology for exploring single molecule interactomics at scale
Produced by Depixus SAS
The Depixus MAGNA One uses Magnetic Force Spectroscopy (MFS) to measure binding forces, conformational changes, and kinetics at the individual molecule level, scaling to thousands of interactions in parallel. Unlike static or bulk-average techniques, it delivers direct, dynamic data on DNA, RNA, proteins, and small molecules, offering new insights into molecular heterogeneity and rare biological events.
Insights from co-founder and CEO Gordon Hamilton
“Depixus MAGNA One brings the power of MFS into the lab for the first time, enabling direct real-time analysis of thousands of individual dynamic biomolecular interactions in parallel.”
“Our key innovation is combining the analytical power and precision of MFS with advances in imaging technology. Each individual pixel of a camera can be used to independently track the real-time dynamics of a single molecular interaction occurring directly above it, opening the door to massive scalability.”
“We believe that MAGNA One’s ability to see biology in action at the level of individual molecular interactions will transform the field of interactomics in the same way that single cell sequencing has transformed genomics.”
What the judges say…
“New leap in the measurement of bio-molecular interactions.”
“Potential to provide key information at the molecular level for drug discovery.”
1 – EMILIE
The first infrared analyzer based on nanomechanical sensing for FTIR spectrometers
Produced by Invisible-Light Labs GmbH
EMILIE is a nanomechanical infrared analyzer combining nanoelectromechanical sensing (NEMS) with optomechanical infrared (IR) technology. Offering picogram-level sensitivity in the mid-to-far IR range, it provides a rapid, cost-efficient solution for analyzing nanoparticles and nanomaterials, such as ultrafine aerosols, nanoplastics, and nanopharmaceuticals.
Insights from the Invisible-Light Labs Team
“Nanomechanical infrared spectroscopy required equipment not available in the standard analytical scientist’s laboratory, such as an infrared (IR) quantum cascade laser, a laser-Doppler vibrometer, and cleanroom-fabricated nanomechanical chips. The breakthrough was to make this very sophisticated technology widely accessible by making it compatible with existing FTIR spectrometers.”
“The development of EMILIE was driven by the desire to make a positive impact on the world we live in by enabling scientific breakthroughs in nanomaterial characterization, environmental monitoring, drug development, and material sciences, among others.”
“With a picogram detection limit, EMILIE has the potential to play a crucial role in ensuring the safe and responsible use of nanomaterials and nanoparticles while providing valuable insights into their fundamental properties and behavior.
What the judges say…
“The EMILIE is a nanomechanical infrared analyser that could help materials characterization with higher throughput and smaller samples.”
“Innovative combination of two advanced technologies for nanomaterial characterization.”
“Very innovative approach with high potential in miniaturized applications.”
