Video: Thermo Fisher Scientific — EVOS M7000 automated analysis walkthrough (source YouTube).
The Problem: Manual Cell Culture Analysis
Cell-culture labs in the UK spend hours every week on manual checks that introduce bias and rarely get documented:
- Confluence estimation: Looking down the eyepiece and guessing when cells are ready to passage.
- Transfection checks: Manually counting fluorescent cells to estimate transfection efficiency.
- Inconsistent results: Different researchers can estimate the same well ±20% apart.
- No audit trail: Few labs save timestamped images proving confluence before passaging.
The Solution: EVOS M7000 Automated Analysis
The EVOS M7000 imaging system with Celleste™ software automates confluence and transfection workflows:
1. Automated Confluence Detection
- Scan entire multi-well plates automatically (6, 12, 24, 96 or 384 wells).
- Calculate exact confluence percentage for every well.
- Export timestamped images plus CSV or Excel reports.
- Set confluence alerts, for example when wells reach 80–85%.
2. Transfection Efficiency Analysis
- Count total cells using nuclear dyes such as DAPI or NucBlue.
- Count fluorescent cells expressing GFP, RFP or other reporters.
- Calculate % transfection automatically across multiple fields.
- Compare wells side-by-side and export statistics for publications.
Time Savings in Real Labs
| Task | Manual method | EVOS M7000 automated | Time saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96-well confluence check | ~45 min (eyepiece + notes) | ~5 min automated scan | ~40 min (89% faster) |
| Transfection efficiency | ~30 min (3 fields counted by hand) | ~2 min automated | ~28 min (93% faster) |
| Weekly data reporting | ~2 h (images + spreadsheet) | ~10 min (auto-export) | ~1 h 50 min (92% faster) |
Key Specifications
- Imaging: 4 fluorescence channels + brightfield + phase contrast.
- Objectives: 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x long working distance.
- Plate formats: 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 384-well plates, plus slides and dishes.
- Software: Celleste analysis with confluence, counting and transfection modules.
- Output: JPEG, TIFF, PNG, CSV and Excel reports.
Best Settings for Confluence Analysis
- Use a 10x objective for 96-well plates to cover most of the well area.
- Use phase contrast rather than brightfield for cleaner cell-boundary detection.
- Turn on Flat Field Correction to remove well-edge artefacts.
- Run background subtraction if medium contains debris or precipitate.
Applications in UK Cell Culture Labs
- Routine passage timing: Set 80% confluence alerts so cells are split at the optimal moment.
- Drug screening: Compare confluence across dose-response plates automatically.
- Viral production: Monitor HEK293T confluence before transfection for maximum yield.
- CRISPR editing: Verify transfection efficiency before antibiotic selection.
- Stem-cell culture: Document colony growth rates for protocol optimisation.
EVOS M7000 vs Manual Analysis Comparison
| Feature | Manual analysis | EVOS M7000 + Celleste |
|---|---|---|
| Reproducibility | Observer-dependent | Algorithm-driven, repeatable |
| Plate coverage | 1–3 fields per well | Full well, full plate |
| Documentation | Notes and occasional images | Timestamped images + data |
| Export format | Hand-typed spreadsheet | CSV, Excel, image gallery |
| Time per 96-well plate | ~45–75 min | ~5–10 min |
UK Support, Demo and Quote
Plankton & Zoom does not sell microscopes. For current UK pricing, installation timelines and live demonstrations of the EVOS M7000, contact Thermo Fisher Scientific UK or an authorised Fisher Scientific UK distributor.
Related UK guides:
Full EVOS M7000 Review → EVOS M5000 Review → EVOS M3000 Review → Automated Cell Counting UK →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is automated confluence analysis?
Automated confluence analysis uses image processing to measure the percentage of a culture surface covered by cells, removing observer bias and producing timestamped data for every well.
Can the EVOS M7000 measure transfection efficiency?
Yes. By counting fluorescent cells such as GFP or RFP expressing cells versus total cells stained with DAPI or NucBlue, Celleste software reports the percentage transfection efficiency across multiple fields and wells.
What markers are used for transfection imaging?
GFP and RFP reporters are common for the fluorescent population, while nuclear dyes such as DAPI or NucBlue are used to count total cells.
How accurate is EVOS confluence compared with manual estimation?
Automated confluence is generally more reproducible than manual estimation because it removes observer bias and applies the same algorithm to every well and time point.
Can confluence and transfection be tracked over time?
Yes. EVOS M7000 time-lapse workflows can capture both metrics across multiple time points, making the system suitable for growth curves and drug-response studies.