Life Science Working Group Meeting, Zurich

Date/Time:  Wednesday, 28 September 2011 / 10:00 to 16:30

Venue:  Nikon AG, Im Hanselmaa 10, 8132 Egg/ZH 

• Network with fellow Aperio users to share ideas about implementing digital pathology and using image analysis tools in drug development, academic, and research environments
• Share your experiences and feature requests with product managers, developers, and business partners
• Meet our new software partners and learn about integration opportunities with PDS, Visiopharm, and Definiens 

Seminar Topics 

 Digital Pathology – A New Era for Pathology, Curtis Adams: Aperio

Roles are changing. Pathologists want to have instant access to slides anytime anywhere, have all patient and case information at their fingertips, get instant interactive secondary consultations, present cases easily with high quality slides, and use automatic image analysis algorithms for quality control.  Digital pathology makes this possible and creates new opportunities for the lab.  This workshop will provide a good understanding of what digital pathology can do in your lab. The following topics will be discussed: workflow, slide scanners, digital pathology information management software, barcodes, LIS integration, PACS, IT infrastructure, digital storage, GLP, CFR 21 Part 11, CFR 21 Part 58, FDA regulations, OECD regulations, skill sets, operating costs, and new services.

Digital Pathology Workflow in a Compliant Environment, Mark Wrenn: Aperio

Adoption of Digital Pathology in Preclinical Toxicology, Dan Heathcoate: AstraZeneca, UK

Historically, histopathological evaluation is performed by a qualified Histopathologist, generating a qualitative assessment on stained tissue sections on glass slides. There has been a growing demand for tools able to both reduce human subjectivity and improve workload productivity. In the past five years there has been substantial investment within pharmaceutical industry in the use of digital pathology across the global Histopathology network with the aim of utilising a more advanced range of digital imaging and integrated data analysis. The pharmaceutical industry has adopted digital pathology to answer complex questions about tissue morphology/protein expression in pre clinical drug discovery.

Efficiency Through Seamless System Integration, Reto Aerni: PDS

In a landscape of multiple software solutions smart software engineering is the key element to provide virtual guardrails for the users. Good software gives the user more control, not more paper. In fact, besides eliminating paper for the laboratory, smart products gives instant 360° view, comprehensive process safety and online access to data. Further, CFR 21 part 11 compliance and validation services are important elements when systems of different vendors exchange information. This kind of communication and the communication between computers and devices has become a challenge in many projects. But there is hope…

Pixel This- An Introduction to Image Analysis, Will Casavan : Aperio

Image analysis is used with increasing frequency to interpret and analyze quantitative information within whole slide images. A presentation of Aperio’s current toolset will be provided, as will a discussion of upcoming tools. Participants are invited to discuss their current image analysis issues and provide insight into solutions for future applications.

Cell by Cell – Image Analysis with Definiens Tissue Studio, Dr. Thomas Einert : Definiens

Definiens Tissue Studio 3.0 is the solution of choice for biomarker and morphological profiling in translational research because it is easy to use, precise, robust, powerful and fast. Regions of interest are accurately detected and cells as well as sub-cellular objects can be distinguished within these target regions – fully automatically. Morphology and expression profiles per individual cell or cell compartment are readily measured, helping to solve your most challenging biological questions. Whether you are working with bright field or immunofluorescence images; on whole tissue slides or microarrays; Definiens Tissue Studio 3.0 is your ultimate resource for comprehensive digital pathology image analysis. Definiens Tissue Studio 3.0 is perfectly complemented by Aperio Spectrum. The value of the integrated workflow for digital pathology provided by Definiens and Aperio will be presented.

Whole Slide Stereology: a faster and more efficient approach to stereology, Lene Gerlach : Visiopharm

Whole Slide Stereology combines the benefits of whole slide imaging (digital slide systems) and stereology. With stereology it is possible to obtain 3D quantities from 2D tissue sections, such as cell number and volume. The methods are statistically proven and the study is consequently unbiased by design, ie there are no assumptions, models or correlation factors involved. Whole Slide Stereology is based on slide scanning and a fully automated version of the physical disector and a novel sampling principle for sampling. This minimizes the limitations of traditional stereology and adds important features as traceability. Based on practical examples from toxicological pathology, including brain and lung, we will demonstrate how Whole Slide Stereology can be implemented with a high degree of automation.

Integrating Digital Pathology in Clinical Trials, Olivier Simon: Biomedical Systems

The interest and challenges of the integration of the digital pathology biopsies central process and reviews (by central pathologists experts) within phase I to IV clinical trials. What are the technical and logistics challenges of this process? How digital pathology can be an ideal solution for this!- to include a few cases studies in "real world" clinical trials.

Space is limited!

To RSVP for the user group, register online or email Bethan LawrenceJones at bethan@aperio.com.