Highlights
- Monomer Bio built and validated a fully-automated organoid culture workcell for Rosebud Biosciences in under 6 weeks
- The workcell maintains hepatic, neural, and cardiac organoids - carrying out media exchanges and organoid imaging 24/7 in high throughput
- The workcell is able to run with no human oversight over holidays and weekends
- The workcell has automatically grown at least 1,784 cardiac organoids to date
- Rosebud and Monomer aim to grow 10,000 organoids by the end of 2024
Rosebud Biosciences is an early stage startup developing therapies for rare genetic disease in children. Their platform combines stem cell-derived organoids with machine learning to model genetic diseases quickly and accurately. Rosebud partnered with Monomer Bio in order to scale their research and produce disease models in high throughput. Monomer worked with Rosebud to design and build a fully-automated organoid culture workcell powered by Monomer’s scientifically-aware software platform for automated stem cell culture.
Build
As experts in robotics, laboratory instrumentation, and workflow automation, Monomer Bio works collaboratively with customers to design and deliver robust, tailored laboratory automation solutions using readily available hardware and robotics. Monomer assisted Rosebud in selecting and procuring an automated incubator, media fridge, microscope, liquid handler, and robotic arm.
Monomer’s solution delivery team of automation engineers and application scientists installed and integrated the equipment into an organoid culture workcell over the course of one week. Once built, the Monomer solution delivery team installed Monomer’s automation software platform, trained robotic teach points, and configured the workcell to execute Rosebud’s culture routines.
Monomer's team of experts helps startups like Rosebud install and integrate their hardware in a matter of days, not months, and educates scientists on how to maintain, troubleshoot, and maximize their automation equipment.
Validation
Unlike legacy automation providers, Monomer sticks beside customers after successful hardware installation and validates that a customer’s biology can be run on the automated system as intended. After installation, Monomer and Rosebud tested that the workcell could successfully change media, image plates, and grow cells. We refer to this as “biological validation.”
Within 6 weeks of hardware arrival, Rosebud’s scientists were using the system to automate cardiac organoid culture protocols, saving Rosebud scientists an immense amount of hands-on time while simultaneously scaling the company’s proprietary culture technology. During this initial phase Rosebud scientists grew and characterized over 1,784 cardiac organoids.
Results
Rosebud’s organoid workcell has been operating in production since mid-October 2023. Each organoid is automatically maintained for at least 3 weeks, with regular media changes and daily imaging routines to monitor growth progress. This is all powered by Monomer’s cell culture automation software platform.
The system has run completely unattended for as many as 5 consecutive days, preventing Rosebud’s scientists from having to visit the lab and tend cells over weekends and holidays. Over a 45 day period from late November to early January the workcell automated over 200 media exchanges and 400 imaging routines, saving Rosebud’s scientist at least 150 hours of hands-on time.
Currently, Monomer and Rosebud are collaborating to implement new culture protocols for neural and hepatic organoids. Over the coming months, we will expand the throughput of the workcell and implement protocols for neural and hepatic organoid maintenance and characterization. Together, we anticipate culturing over 10,000 organoids by the end of 2024.
Looking to automate organoid culture in your lab? Schedule a phone call and demo with the Monomer team.
