Canadian breakthrough in cytometry:
Entrepreneurial success story
As science advances, mankind progresses from understanding simple processes to grasping complex biological systems. In doing this, researchers keep searching for new ways to see as much as possible. When it comes to molecular biology, one of the best tools available to science has been a discipline known as “flow cytometry”.

Abbreviated as FCM, this technique allows researchers to count and examine microscopic particles, such as cells and chromosomes, by suspending them in a stream of fluid and passing them by an electronic detection apparatus. It allows simultaneous multiparametric analysis of the physical and/or chemical characteristics of thousands of particles per second. This is one of the reasons flow cytometry is routinely used in the diagnosis of health disorders, especially blood cancers, but has many other applications in both research and clinical practice.

A flow cytommeter is similar to a microscope, except that, instead of producing an image of a cell, a flow cytometer offers high-throughput for a large number of cells. Early flow cytometers were, in general, experimental devices, but technological advances have enabled widespread applications for use in a variety of both clinical and research purposes. Modern flow cytometers are able to analyze several thousand particles every second in real time. The process allows scientists to actively separate and isolate particles having specified properties.

While cytometry has adepts and practioners all over the world, Canada is building a reputation in the field thanks to the work of professor Scott Tanner from the University of Toronto’s department of chemistry. His team is not only defining the emerging field of mass cytometery, its breakrhrough research has led to the development of a new revolutionary tool call CyTOF that is capable of simultaneously analyzing up to a hundred biomarkets in a single cell at a rate of 1,000 cells per second.

As President of DVS Sciences, Tanner is more than just a researcher and a scientist, he is also a succesful entrepreneur. DVS Sciences currently manufactures and sells the technology along with a new class of bioanalytical metal-containing polymer tags called MAXPAR antibogy labelling agents. Having started his research at MDS Sciex, Tanner and colleagues left for the Univesity of Toronto in 2005 to take on new challenges. That move move was facilitated by an Applied Human Health Grant from Genome Canada. Since then, Tanner has leveraged $16.8 million of non-dilutive funding to continue refining and commercializing his technology.

Moving to bring his product closer to the marketplace, Tanner has supplied Stanford University with two cytometers and the American National Institutes of Health with one of his instruments at $600,000 each. These sales complemented the initial installation purchased by the Ontario Institute of Cancer Research in 2008.

With hot prospects around the world, Tanner had plans to manufacture 100 instruments as he prepared to move into an R&D facility in Markham in late 2010. His goal is to build to $120 million in annual sales in the next few years. His aim is to supply CyTOF mass spectrometers and reagents to all major labs with core facilities worldwide.

For more information on this toopic, go to www.htx.ca/Announcement/new_era_of_cytometry.htm