From microscopic organs to AI-driven diagnostics, explore the groundbreaking technologies reshaping medicine and health
Explore InnovationsImagine a future where doctors can test cancer drugs on miniature replicas of your tumors before ever prescribing chemotherapy, where laboratories the size of a postage stamp can diagnose diseases in remote villages, and where artificial intelligence can design personalized drug regimens tailored to your unique biology.
This future is not decades away—it's unfolding right now in laboratories around the world, thanks to groundbreaking technological advances highlighted in the 2020 SLAS Technology Ten.
Each year, the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) identifies ten exceptional technologies that are pushing the boundaries of what's possible in life sciences 7 . These innovations represent the most promising advances in how we discover drugs, understand disease, and improve human health.
From microscopic organs that beat like human hearts to artificial intelligence platforms that can outthink traditional treatment protocols, the 2020 collection showcases how creative engineering and biological insight are converging to solve medicine's most persistent challenges.
For scientists at the forefront of biomedical research, the avalanche of new technologies and methodologies can be both exciting and overwhelming. The SLAS Technology Ten serves as an annual curated collection of the most impactful innovations that promise to reshape how we approach biological research and drug development.
Selected by experts in the field, these technologies represent significant leaps in our ability to understand and manipulate biological systems 9 .
Technologies are chosen by leading scientists and industry experts based on potential impact and innovation.
Focus on technologies with real-world applications already enabling discoveries in laboratories worldwide.
Emphasis on innovations that connect engineering, biology, and medicine to solve complex challenges.
Technologies selected for their potential to transform research and healthcare in the coming years.
Explore the three key technology categories transforming life sciences research
Moving beyond traditional 2D cell cultures to create microenvironments that closely resemble human tissues and organs.
Revolutionizing disease detection and treatment delivery with emphasis on accessibility and precision.
Integrating artificial intelligence and advanced automation to accelerate biological research and personalize treatments.
| Technology Category | Specific Examples | Potential Applications |
|---|---|---|
| 3D Cell Culture Systems | Organoids, Spheroids, Organs-on-Chips | Drug screening, Disease modeling, Personalized medicine |
| Point-of-Care Diagnostics | Smartphone-based HBV genotyping | Accessible diagnostics for resource-poor settings |
| Targeted Therapies | Gold-coated nanoparticles for prostate cancer | Precision cancer treatment with reduced side effects |
| AI and Digital Health | CURATE.AI platform | Personalized drug dosing, Continuous treatment optimization |
| Microfluidic Systems | Tissue mesodissection, Heart-on-a-chip | Automated sample processing, Disease modeling |
Before new drugs for heart disease can be tested in humans, they must first be evaluated in cellular models. Traditional two-dimensional cell cultures fail to replicate the mechanical forces and tissue organization of an actual heart, leading to frequent failures when promising drugs advance to human trials.
Scientists at Warsaw University of Technology designed a sophisticated heart-on-a-chip platform that subjects cardiac cells to conditions that closely resemble those inside the human body 9 .
| Experimental Condition | Cell Proliferation | Cell Organization | Physiological Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static Culture | Moderate growth | Random alignment | Low - does not mimic natural heart tissue structure |
| Perfusion Culture | Significantly enhanced growth | Parallel alignment similar to native heart tissue | High - closely mimics the mechanical environment of actual heart muscle |
Significance: This research demonstrates that external stimulation through continuous medium flow does more than just keep cells alive—it actively promotes the development of more physiologically relevant tissue structures.
Behind each technological breakthrough lies an array of specialized reagents and tools that make the research possible.
| Reagent/Tool | Function | Example Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra-Low Attachment Plates | Promote 3D spheroid formation by preventing cell attachment to plate surfaces | Cancer spheroid formation for drug testing 8 |
| Microfluidic Chips | Create microscopic channels and chambers for fluid manipulation and cell culture | Heart-on-a-chip devices, Tissue mesodissection 9 |
| Polypeptide-Based Nanoparticles | Serve as biodegradable carriers for targeted drug delivery | Gold nanoshells for prostate cancer therapy 9 |
| CRISPR-Cas9 Systems | Enable precise gene editing through RNA-guided DNA cutting | Functional genomics for target identification |
| Hydrogel Matrices | Provide 3D scaffolding that supports cell growth and organization | Layer-by-layer 3D constructs for transdermal penetration studies 9 |
These tools represent just a sample of the sophisticated reagents and technologies enabling the advances in the SLAS Technology Ten. Their development often requires as much innovation as the primary technologies they support.
The 2020 SLAS Technology Ten represents more than just a collection of interesting scientific advances—it showcases a fundamental shift in how we approach biological research and medical treatment.
The same microfluidic principles power both diagnostic tools and organ models
Technologies bridge from microscopic engineering to complex human biology
Promising better health outcomes for people around the world
As these technologies mature and converge, they promise to transform not just how we treat disease, but how we maintain health throughout our lives. The journey from laboratory breakthrough to real-world impact is long and complex, but the technologies highlighted in the SLAS Technology Ten are already demonstrating their potential.
As they continue to evolve and spread through the scientific community, they offer the promise of better health outcomes for people around the world—proof that sometimes, the smallest innovations can make the biggest difference.