Plasticell, a biotechnology company specializing in high-throughput technologies for directed stem cell differentiation, has won the R&D 100 Award for its CombiCult v2.0 system.

The CombiCult platform is a high-throughput combinatorial screening technology that allows scientists to discover optimal stem cell differentiation protocols in record time, revolutionizing stem cell research and opening new avenues of discovery.

The introduction of CombiCult marked an advancement in stem cell R&D, as it targets a critical bottleneck in any stem cell research program—developing protocols that optimally direct stem cells to develop into a differentiated cell type of choice. The terminally differentiated cells have numerous applications in biomedical research and regenerative medicine.

Innovations in CombiCult 2.0, include a streamlined workflow with specially developed laboratory consumables and automation, and powerful proprietary bioinformatics software that result in marked improvements in speed and reliability compared to the first-generation platform. CombiCult has been deployed internally and by customers on a variety of adult and embryonic stem cells to generate a wide range of tissue types including blood, neuron, bone, cartilage, liver and heart.

The R&D 100Awards, also known as the “Oscars of Innovation,” is now in its 49^th year and recognizes the 100 most technologically significant products of the year.