Sync Bio We build rack-mounted lab-in-a-box machines. Twenty boxes can fit in one small room, carrying out millions of experiments in parallel. The system is designed from the ground up for collecting massive datasets, supporting the training of complex cell-level (and organoid-level) models.

The Boxes

Each box provides the functionality of a robotic workcell, including an internal plate grasper/mover that can stack and rearrange plates. The boxes are 55 x 48 x 67cm and have a default capacity of 100 plates.

Incubation

The boxes provide temperature control and optional O₂/CO₂ control. Each box has insulated walls and a double-pane glass front door (with a cover for light-sensitive experiments).

Liquid Handling

We provide hardware for pipetting, microliter-scale dispensing, and pin-based liquid transfer. The liquid handling can be validated with optical volume verification.

Other Modules

The system supports a variety of other modules, including colony pickers, plate shakers, thermocyclers, centrifuges, magnetic bead devices, impedance-based cell monitoring, and UV-C LED sterilization. (In some configurations, the total plate capacity will be reduced due to the space required by additional modules.)

We also provide imaging modules for microscopy (fluorescence, brightfield, phase contrast, and darkfield) and plate reading.

Example Applications

Cell passaging. We use in-box imaging to monitor cell density and transfer cells to new plates as needed. The system can mix cells with glycerol for freezing.

Organoid maintenance. The system can remove media with pipette tips and dispense new media with pressure-and-solenoid dispensers. The imaging module measures visual properties of each organoid multiple times per day.

NGS preparation. A box can be configured to perform a full set of sequencing preparation steps using magnetic racks and pipetting modules.

Colony picking. The system can select colonies based on visual attributes and transfer them to new media using plastic or metal pins. We provide optical verification of pin alignment and colony adherence.

Diagnostics and Quality Control

Each box contains an abundance of built-in sensors and real-time diagnostic systems, including environmental monitoring and precise liquid volume verification. Cameras can inspect plates multiple times per day, flagging suspicious plates or wells.

Programmatic Control

The hardware can be controlled using standard Python code. The control code can be remotely launched, configured, and monitored. We provide integration with third-party lab automation platforms and data platforms.

Scaling

We provide racks for stacking 3+ boxes vertically, allowing 20+ boxes to operate in a small lab. The boxes have the ability to transfer plates from box to box. We also provide hardware for moving plates to and from third-party lab equipment.

Pricing

The lab boxes are $40k to $90k each, depending on which modules are installed. The typical cost for a 10-box system, including racks and installation is $500k.

About Us

Peter Sand has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from MIT and years of experience building lab automation machines. Dmitri Petrov has a Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard and is a professor of Biology at Stanford.