The concept behind CytoLogix Corp. began like many a medical start-up: a young doctor with a propensity for engineering comes up with a way to automate a manual job. In 1989, Steven Bogen, MD, PhD, a pathology resident, began working on a way to improve the process of staining human tissue samples. The work was of interest because staining plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of many diseases, such as cancer, infections, and metabolic abnormalities. The ultra-thin sections of human tissue that are placed on microscope slides are initially transparent. The only way for pathologists to see the cellular structures in a sample is through the application of assorted stains.
Most tissue staining is classified as "routine" and involves the application of the same two stains to every sample. Automation...