Contract Research Services

The Stem Cell Hotel provides specialist and leading-edge CRO services to the cell therapy and drug discovery industries.

The Stem Cell Hotel is staffed by a team of stem cell scientists, and equipped with the latest cell imaging equipment from major manufacturers providing a source of expertise and capability from which the industry can seek assistance in resolving difficult technical problems. To talk to us about how we can support you, or to enquire about accessing time on our devices CLICK HERE

Cell characterisation The Stem Cell Hotel is born from stem cell biology research and is using next-generation techniques (including image-based analysis, artificial micro-environments, data integration) to benchmark and characterise cells. We do this faster and more reliably, while providing more information about the cell phenotype and behaviour.

High content analysis  The Stem Cell Hotel works with technology providers and with drug discovery and cell therapy companies to understand their problem and then build the best assays for their applications. We provide access to specialist equipment (to experienced users), or kit plus experts (for less experienced users).

Artificial environments The Stem Cell Hotel brings together the customer's scientific team and our own experts to understand the particular challenges, and how to resolve them. We then build the optimal artificial environments (such as gels, patterns, topographies, substrates on which cells can be plated) that resolve these. 

Integrating biological datasets The Stem Cell Hotel facilitates the capture of data and metadata from several biological datasets (e.g. genomics, proteomics, cell phenotyping) and then performs data integration and multidimensional reduction to discover patterns and new insights - and enable our customer to formulate new hypotheses.

The group offers the use of its state-of-the-art imaging equipment, multiparametrical analysis, and opportunities to discuss collaborative projects of mutual interest. 

The instruments offered by the 'Stem Cell Hotel' include high-content imaging and analysis devices (PerkinElmer Operetta CLS and PerkinElmer Operetta Mark1), live imaging devices (Essen Biosciences Incucyte Zoom, Nanoentek JuliStage) and quantitative phase microscopy devices (Phasefocus Livecyte). 

More information about the different instruments available can be found here.

The Stem Cell Hotel is configured to support and enable scientists from King's and other universities, and researchers working across regenerative medicine.  It incubates the 'next generation' technologies that deliver breakthrough benefit to the industry.

The Stem Cell Hotel is a key interface between King's and the cell therapy, regenerative medicine, drug discovery and phenotyping communities. It is at the forefront of the move to 'data-driven research' complementing 'hypothesis-driven research.'

It is a source of expertise, from which researchers in academia and industry can seek assistance in resolving specific technical problems.  To talk to us about how we can support you, or to enquire about time on one of our devices, please CLICK HERE

Resources and expertise around stem cell biology, high content imaging and artificial micro-environments for cell culture are provided to users in academia and biotechnology industry as a service. This ranges from assistance for assay development and image acquisition to dedicated data analysis and integration.

The operation also leverages innovative research projects currently ongoing at the Centre such as the development of standard methods for characterisation of induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs). Technologies from several providers include methods for microscopy imaging, cell-based assays, materials, high content analysis and data integration.

Born within the framework of the Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Initiative (HIPSCI), this collaborative phenotyping space intends to foster and serve communities centred around academic, clinical and commercial research. Below you can find a list of recent publications that benefit from the use of our capabilities to acquire and analyse imaging data.