BUILD series 4. Personal pains and the value of 100XBIO solutions

This is a BUIDL series about company building, a collection of personal stories that led me to creating 100XBIO. The article is a twin to my 26-min YouTube video posted here: https://youtu.be/F0BZ1S5oIuk The video gives plenty of context that most people don't need and would not find interesting, so this article is a shortened summary.

In this article, I discuss how 100XBIO's approach is solving some critical pains that I had.

Introduction to 100XBIO and My Journey

Hi, this is Sergei from 100XBIO. As an immunologist, I faced significant challenges in T cell research due to complex, time-consuming lab protocols. Mistakes, especially with expensive reagents, could lead to wasted time, money, and immense stress. Early in my career, even minor errors created anxiety and disrupted experiments, making lab work overwhelming.

The Problem of Long, Manual Protocols and the Cost of Errors

Many lab protocols are long, manual, and error-prone. Tasks like pipetting require precision and speed, increasing the likelihood of mistakes. Small errors, such as running out of supplies, can jeopardize an experiment’s integrity. These mistakes don’t just ruin single experiments—they can set back entire projects and waste resources. Months of work can be lost due to one mistake, affecting both finances and morale. Recovery from such setbacks can be impossible.

How Automation Helps

Automation offers a solution by reducing human error and stress. Over time, I developed systems to manage reagents and inventory to prevent logistical hurdles, developed the skills for error prediction and recovery. However, automation is a more reliable safeguard. It lets scientists focus on their research without worrying about manual mistakes.

100XBIO’s Role in Improving Research

At 100XBIO, we aim to streamline immunology research, particularly for T cells, by automating complex protocols. We’re also minimizing the need for large biological samples in precision T-cell research. Our technology enhances both efficiency and precision, helping researchers use fewer resources to achieve better results.

Managing Large Blood Volumes

Handling human blood samples can be labor-intensive, especially when large volumes are involved. For example, processing 400 milliliters of diluted blood requires 12 tubes for centrifugation. This manual process is prone to errors, especially when working with multiple donors. By reducing the initial blood volume by 20 times—down to 20 milliliters—the workflow becomes more manageable. Instead of using 12 tubes, just one is needed, significantly cutting material costs and labor time.

Advantages in Mouse Studies: Ethical and Cost Benefits

In mouse studies, smaller blood volumes also offer major benefits. Traditionally, working with the mouse splenocytes require sacrificing animals, especially for experiments with multiple time points. By using small blood samples, researchers can test hypotheses in same mice dynamically—with fewer animals, lowering costs and improving ethical standards. This method also reduces material costs and minimizes waste, while still providing enough data for thorough analysis.

Solving the Problem of Scarce T Cells

In cases where tissue samples yield few T cells, reducing sample size requirements is crucial. Current methods often require pooling samples from multiple mice, but more sample-efficient techniques enable individual analyses, improving data accuracy and overall experimental success. Our technology supports experiments where even sample pooling may not provide the statistical power scientists need and the options to run the studies are seriously limited.

P.S. If you are studying antigen-specific T cells, here is a summary of our method principle - https://www.100xbio.com/aimspot . Please share your feedback in the comments.