Automated cell counting drives development of novel therapeutics

At Prestige Biopharma’s Innovative Discovery Center, Research Scientist Min Kyung Kang is working to identify new drug targets with the help of the LUNA-FX7™ automated cell counter, a compact, versatile instrument with advanced quality control and bioprocessing features.

Advancing therapeutic discovery at Prestige Biopharma

Prestige Biopharma is dedicated to the discovery and development of therapeutics targeting areas of high unmet clinical need, including oncology indications such as pancreatic cancer.

The company’s Innovative Discovery Center in Busan, South Korea, serves as its regional R&D hub and focuses on antibody-centric drug discovery, spanning monoclonal (mAbs), bispecific (bsAbs), and fusion protein antibodies, alongside programs in diagnostics and vaccine development. It is here that Min Kyung Kang leads a broad range of cell-based assays to study cellular behavior and devise new therapeutic strategies.

“My research focuses on how signaling pathways regulate cell proliferation and migration, aiming to identify new therapeutic targets and improve experimental methods,” she explains. “I design and conduct a wide range of basic experiments using cells, cell viability, migration, luciferase reporter assays, and FACS analysis.”

Precision in cell counting underpins each of these workflows. Here, Kang relies on the LUNA-FX7™ automated cell counter from Logos Biosystems, a tool she describes as invaluable to her day-to-day research. “The LUNA-FX7™ has saved time, reduced manual errors, and provided reliable cell counts, making our workflow much more efficient,” she says.

The Swiss-army knife of cell counters

Cell counting is fundamental in drug discovery, from monitoring cell health and proliferation to seeding cultures for subsequent experiments and performing functional assays. It also facilitates the real-time monitoring of cellular behavior, providing vital insights into dynamic cellular processes.

The LUNA-FX7™ automated cell counter is Logos Biosystems’ most advanced model to date, building on the company’s award-winning LUNA™ family. Despite its compact footprint, the instrument integrates a broad range of capabilities, combining brightfield and dual-fluorescence detection, multiple counting modes, and customizable protocols.

It accommodates 1-, 3-, and 8-chamber slides to suit different workflows, while its 5.1 µL counting volume is around ten times larger than most automated counters. A broad detection range of 1 × 10⁴ – 5 × 10⁷ cells/mL eliminates the need for dilution or concentration steps, making it suitable for applications spanning single-cell sequencing to CAR-T cell therapy.

“It delivers precise and reproducible results, is user-friendly, fast, and accurate even with challenging samples, which makes it stand out from other cell counters,” says Kang.

Built-in quality control for consistent results

For teams like Kang’s, working in regulated or quality-sensitive environments, reproducibility and traceability are essential. The LUNA-FX7™ addresses these needs with a suite of integrated quality control (QC) tools designed to simplify validation and performance monitoring.

The system’s validation slides allow users to verify brightfield performance and perform daily QC checks, while its built-in software enables laboratories to store, monitor, and analyze instrument performance over time. A convenient re-analysis feature lets users revisit previous counts under different protocol settings, offering added flexibility for data review and troubleshooting.

With automated autofocusing and intelligent image analysis, the LUNA-FX7™ further reduces operator variability, ensuring that every count is as consistent and reliable as the last.

A unique bioprocess mode

Beyond its use in discovery, cell counting is integral to biomanufacturing, where maintaining accurate oversight of cell growth and quality across multiple production batches is essential.

To meet these demands, the LUNA-FX7™ features a dedicated Bioprocess Mode that enables researchers to monitor cell health, growth rate, viability, and doubling time across multiple cultures simultaneously. Protocol parameters can be customized for specific cell lines, while the instrument automatically records and calculates key bioprocess indicators, generating cumulative and time-point tracking data for complete growth histories.

All data are stored directly on the instrument’s 1 TB hard drive and can be exported as CSV files for downstream analysis or integrated reporting. When connected via CountWire™ software, multiple instruments can be networked for remote access, allowing teams in different laboratories or facilities to review and compare bioprocess data in real time.

In addition to connectivity, the LUNA-FX7™ is designed for compliance. To support work in GMP and regulated environments, the LUNA-FX7™ and its CountWire™ software package are fully 21 CFR Part 11 compliant, offering secure user access, encrypted audit trails, and centralized data management.

A vote of confidence

For Kang, adopting the LUNA-FX7™ was a straightforward process thanks to the support of the Logos Biosystems team. “Their team provided thorough training and prompt support, helping us integrate the LUNA-FX7™ smoothly into our daily workflow,” she says, adding that she encourages other researchers to explore the system. “I highly recommend it for its ease of use, reliability, and efficiency in reducing experimental variability.”

As automation becomes increasingly central to both discovery and bioprocessing, compact yet powerful systems such as the LUNA-FX7™ are redefining what is possible at the bench. Kang believes such technologies will play a key role in shaping the next era of biopharmaceutical research. “I see the industry focusing more on precision medicine and cell-based therapies, with automation and analytical technologies like the LUNA-FX7™ making research faster, more reproducible, and more efficient,” she concludes.