We look back at some of 2025’s major advances in AI-driven live cell analytics, from automated mitochondrial segmentation to dynamic EC50 profiling and next-generation T-cell insights. These breakthroughs bring deeper, label-free understanding to drug discovery and immuno-oncology.
Highly anticipated new solutions released
The first half of 2025 began strongly for live cell imaging, as Nanolive released its new analysis software EVE Explorer, and two new digital assays; the Smart Mitochondrial Assay, and the Next-gen LIVE T Cell Assay.
The Smart Mitochondrial Assay was highly anticipated following a peer-reviewed proof-of concept study, published in Nature Communications in 2024. Powered by high-resolution label-free imaging and AI-driven analysis, the Smart Mitochondrial AssayLIVE is the world’s first fully automated solution for noninvasive, quantitative assessment of mitochondrial dynamics. Created to accelerate drug discovery, it provides deeper insights into mitochondrial responses without any need for dyes or complex sample preparation.
Learn more about the Smart Mitochondrial Assay here.
Supporting biopharma decision-makers
With the launch of our data management and plotting software, EVE Explorer, we released new solutions for biopharma in 2025, like our dynamic EC50 analysis.
Nanolive’s LIVE Cytotoxicity Assay combines label-free live-cell imaging with AI-powered analysis to deliver continuous EC50 quantification over time. EC50, the concentration of a drug that produces 50% of its maximal effect, is a critical indicator of potency.
Unlike traditional endpoint assays, this dynamic approach captures early, delayed, and transient drug responses, offering deeper insight into cytotoxicity. By visualizing drug potency in real time through time-resolved EC50 curves and 3D dose–response plots, researchers gain greater predictive power to support better decision-making in preclinical development.
Download here our latest scientific poster to see how Chloroquine-treated HeLa cells demonstrate the value of real-time EC50 analysis in advancing immuno-oncology research.
Examples of the dynamic EC50 results that can be obtained with Nanolive’s live cell imaging and analysis.
Breakthrough T cell discoveries
Understanding the balance between T cell killing, persistence, and exhaustion is the essential basis for creating effective CAR T cell therapies for cancer and auto-immune conditions. How can heterogeneous T cell responses be studied, and how can CAR T cells be enhanced for improved persistence and efficacy? Launched in June 2025, Nanolive’s next-gen LIVE T Cell Assay has quantitative answers!
In December, Dr Roddy O’Connor shared his data captured with Nanolive imaging and the LIVE T Cell Assay to assess metabolic engineering of CAR T cells and how the killing ability of these CAR T cells was improved. While the data shown were from CAR T cells, the principles of label-free monitoring of cell behavior and cytotoxicity at high spatio-temporal resolution are relevant across many applications.
You can watch the webinar on demand here.
Nanolive’s technology captured a serial-killing T cell that was single-handedly able to kill seven tumor cells within 7 hours.
A video is worth 1000 insights
In 2025 over 12.9 THOUSAND hours of Nanolive videos were watched, and reached over 100,000 subscribers on the Nanolive YouTube channel! This shows just how much Nanolive’s mission and vision resonate with the world’s need to visualize cellular dynamics and desire to see inside living cells. A huge thank you to our amazing community for your support and to our incredible team for sharing our story and inspiring curiosity every day. We can’t wait to share even more incredible live cell insights in 2026!
Peer-reviewed publications
- Measuring lipid droplet number and mass to study lipid droplet fusion: Komsky‐Elbaz, E., et al., Journal of Extracellular Vesicles (2025). ‘Extracellular Vesicles, Lipid Droplets and AhR Ligands in Early Implantation: The Dynamics of Embryo‐Maternal Crosstalk’ https://doi.org/10.1002/jev2.70161
- Phenotypic profiling of cell lines and treated cells correlated with cell painting and transcriptomics: Gong, D., et al., Science Advances (2025). ‘Integrated spatial morpho-transcriptomics predicts functional traits in pancreatic cancer’ https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adx0632
- Measuring mitochondrial length as a biomarker for DEHP-induced changes: Hu, D.-W., et al., Advanced Science (2025) ‘SLC6A14 Drives Mitochondrial Fusion and Oxidative Phosphorylation to Promote Cancer Stemness and Early-Onset of Breast Cancer’ https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202510811
Read our latest news
Webinar – CAR T cells live and up-close: Metabolic engineering for enhanced function
Nanolive hosted this event on "CAR T cells live and up-close: Metabolic engineering for enhanced function." In this webinar, presented by Dr Roddy O’Connor, Research Assistant Professor at University of Pennsylvania’s renowned Center for Cellular Immunotherapies and...
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