Welcome to the March edition of the AI for Live Cell Insights Newsletter, bringing you the latest live cell analyses powering drug discovery and cosmetics development. Each month, we will explore a new application of AI-based cellular analysis for label-free live cell imaging, with publication highlights and news from Nanolive. This month, we are proud to announce the release of our new AI-powered digital tool for monitoring and quantifying mitochondrial dynamics in real-time, the Smart Mitochondrial AssayLIVE. In this edition, we also showcase the application of label-free imaging for in-vitro immuno-oncology research, as well as recent publications in the fields of nanomaterials and oncology.
AI-powered mitochondrial analysis tool:
Smart Mitochondrial AssayLIVE
Nanolive is proud to announce the launch of the Smart Mitochondrial AssayLIVE, the world’s first non-invasive mitochondrial analysis tool.
This cutting-edge assay utilises Nanolive’s label-free time-lapse imaging combined with AI to automatically detect and analyse mitochondrial dynamics in real time, without the need for fluorophores or dyes. Mitochondria are easily distinguished thanks to their unique refractive index values, appearing as elongated threads inside the cells (Figure 1, left). Powered by AI, this assay segments these organelles with a single click (Figure 1, right) and provides detailed insights into mitochondrial morphology and content changes over time. It enables the assessment of mitochondrial fission, fusion, swelling, mitophagy, and network complexity at both the mitochondrial and cellular levels, making it an ideal tool for drug safety, toxicology, mitochondrial disease, and oncology research.
Key Features of Smart Mitochondrial AssayLIVE
- Real-time, label-free imaging for dynamic mitochondrial analysis, eliminating bias induced by staining
- AI-powered mitochondrial quantification for automated analysis
- Unbiased, reproducible results enhance drug development and toxicology studies
- Cost-efficient, streamlined workflows save time and reduce experimental variability and costs associated with traditional probes
- Predictive insights improve understanding of cell health and treatment responses
Figure 1. Nanolive’s holotomographic imaging and mitochondrial detection. Nanolive’s holotomographic technology creates high resolution, label-free images of cells and their organelles. Contrast is generated by the intrinsic refractive index properties of cellular structures (left). Refractive index image plus multi-colored digital segmentation of mitochondria, powered by the Smart Mitochondrial AssayLIVE (right).
Applications of the Smart Mitochondrial AssayLIVE
Explore how Nanolive’s Smart Mitochondrial AssayLIVE is transforming mitochondrial research with label-free and AI-powered analysis. Discover how this innovative digital assay is setting new standards for drug safety, toxicology, mitochondrial disease, and oncology research delivering comprehensive metrics and unbiased, reliable data.
In this webinar, we present case studies showcasing mitochondrial network disruption in response to drug treatment, mitochondrial destruction and mitochondrial fragmentation caused by external stressors.
Drug safety application:
Quantifying drug response at the cellular and mitochondrial levels
Mitochondrial stress applications:
Detecting mitochondrial destruction, label-free
Assessing the impact of high-energy light-induced phototoxicity (DAPI excitation wavelength) on mitochondrial physiology
Case study: Antimycin A disrupts mitochondrial network complexity
Dont miss out! Watch the webinar “Redefining Mitochondrial Research: Non-Invasive Imaging & 1-Click Analysis” now!
CDK4 and mitochondria: revealed by Nanolive’s imaging technology
In a recent Nature Communications publication, Dorian V. Ziegler, a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Faja’s laboratory at the Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, utilized Nanolive’s label-free technology to study mitochondrial network dynamics in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells.
Using our 3D Cell Explorer 96focus microscope, the researchers captured high-content time-lapse images of MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells, comparing those that expressed Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) with those that did not. Their findings revealed that in the absence of CDK4, mitochondria (orange arrows) appeared hyperfused, forming elongated and highly branched networks (bottom row). In contrast, CDK4-expressing cells exhibited shortened, fragmented mitochondrial (top row), suggesting a key role for CDK4 in regulating mitochondrial morphology. This study highlights the critical role of CDK4 in mitochondrial network organization and demonstrates the power of label-free live cell imaging in cancer research.
As Dr. Dorian V. Ziegler explains:
“We used our Nanolive device mostly to assess the dynamics of the hyperfused mitochondria we observed in our CDK4-knockout cells. It allowed us to pinpoint that this hyperfused mitochondrial network (previously evaluated with snapshot pictures and regular morphometrics) was permanent and maintained over time in these cells.”
Figure 2. Label-free time-lapse images of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing CDK4 (top row) or lacking CDK4 (bottom row) at time points 0 sec, 90 sec, and 180 sec. Mitochondria are indicated by orange arrows, while blue circles highlight nuclei.
To access the full paper: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55605-z
Explore more about the Nanolive 3D Cell Explorer 96focus microscope.
Latest publication highlights with Nanolive imaging:
- Nanomaterials: Ashtiani, S., et al. (2025). Unveiling the effect of surface modification of spherical PVDF nanoparticles via ZIF-8 and NH₂ functional groups on gas adsorption and cell nanotoxicity. Environmental Research, 274(3), 121234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.121234
- Oncology: Puerta, A.,et al.(2025). Multimodal antiproliferative effects of oleanolic acid mitocans: In vitro and in vivo studies. Biochemical Pharmacology, 234, 116807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2025.116807
- Biomedical Imaging: Adamian, N., et al. (2025). Maximum contrast projection: A powerful tool for biomedical image stack analysis. Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnen/nlaf013
- Biomaterials: Durand, A., Gréa, et al. (2025). Functionalization of chitosan with a polycarboxylic macrocycle yields injectable hydrogel with pH and salts responsiveness. Materials Today Advances, 25, 100565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtadv.2025.100565
- Oncology: Federspiel J. Et al. (2025), ’Patient-Derived Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Support the Colonization of Tumor Cells in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma’, Biomedicines, https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13020358
- Cellular Biology: Akosah, Y. et al. (2025) ‘Differential effects of endo- and exopolyphosphatase expression on the induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore’, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Biomembranes, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamem.2025.184408
Find over 300 publications featuring Nanolive imaging here.
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