Simplify your path to new technology while experiencing customizable automation firsthand

Visit a Curiox Innovation Center before expending capital funds to discover how to transform cell processing workflows with customizable C-FREE automated technologies.

Published on October 1, 2024

The cost of small miscalculations

Deciding to automate a laboratory process is a significant commitment. In addition to the capital investment, the performance of the automated process must be at least as good as, or better than, the results achieved with the standard manual method.

Consider the traditional cell processing method of centrifugation typically performed prior to cellular analysis techniques such as flow cytometry or mass cytometry (CyTOF). Many labs value the flexibility to use cost-effective centrifuges and manual cell washing techniques before advancing to expensive downstream analyses.

The flexibility of low-tech cell washing procedures is advantageous until inconsistencies and manual errors jeopardize results. For example, a precious cell sample may be lost if a technician spins samples in a tube that is too large, or a medical technician might discard a supernatant of cell populations because the centrifuge was set to revolutions per minute (rpm) instead of relative centrifugal force (RCF).

While low-tech methods are useful, they become a problem if accuracy is not maintained. Small operator miscalculations can escalate into significant problems when research is scaled up, making standardization and precision crucial.

Whether you’re involved in drug discovery, cell therapy, or cellular expansion, the way you manage and scale your samples directly impacts the accuracy and reliability of your research outcomes.

Seizing upon opportunities to innovate

The opportunities to increase standardization, reduce hands-on time, and improve cell viability are all part of the vision behind Curiox Laminar Wash and Curiox C-FREE technologies for cell processing. Both Laminar Wash and C-FREE technologies eliminate manual centrifugation by using a proprietary laminar flow mechanism to gently wash cells. 

Replacing cell centrifugation with laminar washing has the added advantages of improving cell retention, removing more cell debris, and improving resolution of rare cell populations. Numerous labs have published results demonstrating the benefits that laminar wash workflows have brought to their research.

C-FREE technology takes automated sample preparation a step further, as used in the Curiox C-FREE™ Pluto System, by leveraging controlled fluid dynamics to perform buffer exchanges for both washing of cells and beads using a robotic pipette system.

The Pluto system is designed to scale with a laboratory’s specific needs—whether in research or high-throughput clinical settings. Because of the range and flexibility of C-FREE technology, Curiox has established three dedicated Curiox Innovation Centers (CICs) where potential users can experience personalized automation solutions for cell analysis firsthand.

  • A newly established CIC at Stanford University, CA, USA for the Pluto system
  • A C-FREE technology demonstration site in Cambridge, MA, USA
  • A C-FREE technology demonstration site in San Francisco, CA, USA
  • A C-FREE technology demonstration site in Canary Wharf, London, UK

Why visit a CIC?

If your lab is ready to adopt an automated cell sample preparation solution, a virtual demo may not fully showcase the complete range of the Pluto system’s capabilities in automating specific scientific workflows.

Visiting a CIC is a great option to help evaluate the following key factors before implementing an automated sample preparation solution:

  • Alignment of capital and resource timeline Automation requires significant upfront investment in equipment and integration. A lab needs to understand whether the potential for reducing failures and lowering experimental costs outweighs implementation costs. For example, CIC experts, who use the Pluto system for existing research projects, can provide information to aid in cost/benefit analysis. 
  • Process understanding and optimization – A lab should have a thorough understanding of their manual processes before automating them. Seeing already automated workflows firsthand at a CIC can clarify whether an existing manual process may need to be optimized further or redesigned to be suitable for automation.
  • Flexibility vs standardization – Automation can reduce flexibility, which may be important in early development stages when processes are still evolving. A visit to a CIC can clarify the tradeoffs between standardization/reproducibility and experimental access points if a lab needs to adapt protocols during development pipelines.
  • Scalability – Automation should facilitate the scaling of production capacity to meet a lab’s demands. By visiting a CIC, a lab can better visualize how an automated sample preparation process can be scaled up or scaled out, depending on a lab’s current or future infrastructure capacity.
  • Workforce impact Transitioning from a manual process to automation requires new skills for laboratory staff. By observing an active site running Pluto automation, a lab can gain valuable insights into its training needs. Automation may reduce certain manual tasks, but it also creates new roles needed to operate and maintain the automated systems.


Establishing an automated sample preparation workflow requires careful consideration of both technical and business factors. By visiting a CIC, a lab can gain a clearer understanding of the strategic implications of automating the sample prep process, ensuring that the investment aligns with both current and long-term research objectives.

Get help redefining your lab’s workflow

Implementing automation is a big challenge to tackle, but Curiox Biosystems is dedicated to creating workflow solutions to help you simplify cell analysis. The first step to workflow transformation is contacting our Curiox team to see where they can help with your specific needs either through more product information or setting up a visit to one of our CICs.

Let us help support your cell analysis breakthrough!

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