loopbio

A Multi-Camera High Throughput Worm Assay

72 megapixels, 2.2 GB/s of video, handled by Motif

We were approached by Dr. Andre Brown to create a custom imaging setup for throughput worm screening. Dr. Brown and his team are searching for novel neuroactive compounds using the nematode C. elegans. He explained the goals of the project:

To screen a large number of drugs, it helps to image many worms in multiwell plates. Normal plate scanning microscopes don't help because we want to see behavior changes that require looking at each worm for minutes so we have to image the worms in parallel. At the same time, we need enough resolution to extract a detailed behavioral fingerprint using Tierpsy Tracker. A six-camera array provides the pixel density and frame rate we need and opens the door to phenotypic screens for complex behaviors at an unprecedented scale.

The Imaging Solution

To meet the requirements we designed a solution using 6 x 12 Megapixel cameras at 25 frames per second. To save on storage space, all video is compressed in real-time, at exceptional quality, before being saved to disk. The flexibility of Motif allows synchronized recording from all cameras, controlled from a single web-based user interface.

For an impression of the images possible with such a system, check out the interactive (mouse over / touch for zoom controls) viewer below.

The 6 cameras are arranged into a multi-camera array and all image the same well plate.

Multiple systems were delivered, also featuring lighting for stimulation.

A Complete Screening Laboratory

Following a successful pilot phase we delivered a plug-and-play completely integrated screening laboratory, known as "The Cave", consisting of five identical Motif based assays.

Optogenetic Stimulation

Each system is equipped with a powerful lighting system for performing optogenetic experiments.

The lighting is controlled and integrated with Motif. This means that the lighting can be scheduled to turn on at different power levels at different times during a recording, meanwhile the intensity of the light, temperature, and other environmental details about the assay are recorded along side the video in imgstore recording format.

High power LEDs are mounted at the top of the system.

The LEDs, when illuminated, provide a powerful blue light.

High Throughput Screening

All computers and cameras are mounted together near the behavioral assays. All five systems can be programmed and scripted to run in parallel for high throughput screening. Motif's scripting/programming and scheduling capability allows queuing and then automatically running different experiments and regimes of optogenetic stimulation and recording. The Motif web user interface allows monitoring and control of all assays and experiments remotely.

All systems are mounted on an air supported table. Their associated computers for running the Motif software are mounted neatly below.

The Final Result

The high resolution of the camera array allows extremely high throughput, multiple worms in multiple wells, across multiple systems. Tierpsy Tracker is used to track the position of all worms.