Cytek Biosciences Debuts Advanced Flow Cytometry System

The door to discovery has been opened, and the traditional flow cytometry market is set to see a paradigm shift. With its new Northern Lights series of advanced flow cytometry systems, Cytek Biosciences Inc. is making three lasers and more than 24 colors possible at a price point typically attached to systems with far fewer capabilities. Cytek Northern Lights is the latest in a series of technological advances that furthers Cytek’s mission to make full-spectrum flow cytometry accessible to a larger number of scientists. And they aren’t done yet.
 
There is a pressing need for increased access to intuitive, high-capability flow cytometers and the deep biological insights that they bring. In fact, rapidly growing areas of research—such as CAR-T cell therapy and immuno-oncology—are driving the flow cytometry analyzer market, which is expected to grow to more than $1 billion dollars by 2020.
 
Incorporating the same spectral technology that Cytek has become known for in its flagship series, Cytek Aurora, Northern Lights offers a value-added package with capabilities that go beyond flow cytometry systems with a much higher price tag. For example, with Northern Lights, scientists can now extract the same amount of information from one sample that would take three or four tubes using a conventional cytometer with a similar price. With this extraordinary price-performance ratio and low total cost of ownership, Northern Lights sits in a sweet spot for scientists that have budgeted for a one to three laser system—but desire the ability to run panels that range from lower to higher complexity.
 
Northern Lights can expand with application requirements and can be upgraded from one laser (up to nine colors) to three lasers (beyond 24 colors), all while being priced more competitively than conventional three-laser flow cytometers. With only one optical configuration for all applications, time savings and a reduced occurrence of experimental errors are realized. Northern Lights’ unique optical design and unmixing algorithm combine to enable the use of a wide array of dyes, including those with highly overlapping spectra such as APC and Alexa 647—a feat not possible using conventional cytometry.
 
Additionally, Northern Lights makes going beyond 24 colors affordable. While conventional flow cytometers typically require five lasers, some of which are expensive and high maintenance, to achieve 18+ colors, Northern Lights enables the power of 24+ colors with just three relatively low-maintenance lasers. Northern Lights also allows for the use of any commercially available dyes that are excited by the onboard lasers, providing more opportunities for the use of lower-cost reagent options.
 
“At Cytek, we are committed to advancing the scope, reach and capabilities of flow cytometry, and the only way to accomplish this mission is by developing systems that are powerful and affordable,” noted Dr. Wenbin Jiang, CEO of Cytek Biosciences. “Our technology enables scientists to achieve higher quality data all the way up to and beyond 24 colors while simultaneously adding more flexibility, offering an intuitive workflow and lowering the total cost of ownership. With the introduction of Northern Lights, we’re placing the power, flexibility and intuitiveness of our flow cytometry solutions into the hands of even more scientists—and opening the door for a wider breadth of discoveries.”
 
Optional Accessories: Northern Lights and Aurora
Cytek continues to round out its portfolio of offerings and expand possibilities even further for scientists—and has introduced two new accessories for its flow cytometry solutions:
 

• 561 nm Laser: A yellow/green laser that adds 10 more fluorescence detection channels (for a total of 48 detectors), enabling even more application flexibility (available for Cytek Aurora models only).
• Plate Loader: Cytek’s new plate loader offers ‘walk away’ capabilities. It supports 96 well plates, three throughput modes, and user customizable modes. The loader system seamlessly integrates into the Aurora and Northern Lights systems and offers the user the ability to switch between tubes and plates in a matter of seconds.