Boston, MA (February 13, 2024) – The SLAS2024 International Conference and Exhibition in Boston, MA, witnessed the announcement of science and technology awards. This annual flagship event of the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening attracted a record-setting 7500 attendees and 400 exhibitors. Each year, SLAS acknowledges outstanding presenters and exhibitors who exemplify the Society’s programs and mission. Below is the complete list of the 2024 award descriptions and winners:
SLAS Innovation Award
Jongwon Lim, a Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, received the prestigious SLAS Innovation Award for his presentation titled “Rapid and Ultra-Sensitive Identification of Pathogenic DNA in Blood using a Novel Blood Drying Technique.” This award recognizes an exceptional and innovative podium presentation that surpasses a benchmark in screening or lead discovery processes or showcases an advanced use of mature technologies. The award includes a prize of $10,000.
2024 New Product Award Winners
The New Product Award was presented to companies introducing new products commercially available within 90 days before and after the conference. This year’s winners and their innovative products are:
- BlueCatBio for the Blue®Plate: Offering fully automated, high-throughput cell washes for flow cytometry with minimal cell loss or damage and effective background removal.
- CytoTronics for the Pixel™: The Pixel system integrates cutting-edge technology with live-cell biology and data science to provide unique insights into cell functions at high throughput.
- Liquimetrix GmbH for LUMINA: LUMINA is a precision solution for low-volume liquid handling, offering volume verification in microtiter plates and microarrays.
2024 SLAS Ignite Award
Depixus from Paris, France, was honored with the 2024 SLAS Ignite Award at the Innovation Ave NEW section of the exhibition floor. Depixus introduced the MAGNA One™ instrument based on magnetic force spectroscopy, enabling researchers to decode disease mechanisms and accelerate the development of effective therapies. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize.
SLAS2024 Student Poster Competition
The SLAS2024 Student Poster Award winners, selected from over 400 abstract submissions, showcased innovative research in various fields. The winners of this year’s competition are:
- Brandon Vogt, Ph.D. Student, University of California San Diego: Presenting research on optimizing patient-specific drug treatments for Aortic Valve Stenosis.
- Kui You, Ph.D. Student, National University of Singapore: Addressing infections by Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria with AI-Empowered Combination Therapies.
- Marissa E. Davies, Postbaccalaureate Trainee, National Institutes of Health: Focusing on the high-throughput characterization of Isozyme-Specific Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (LADH) Inhibitors.
Tony B. Travel Awards
SLAS awarded 42 Tony B. Travel Awards to students and researchers for their original scientific contributions. The winners were selected based on the relevance of their research to the conference program, the value of their work, and scientific merit. Each recipient received travel support, accommodations, and full conference registration.
The SLAS International Conference and Exhibition serves as a platform for showcasing leading life sciences and technology products, services, and education. This year’s event brought together over 7500 professionals from 44 countries to engage in an educational program focused on life sciences discovery and technology. The Exhibition featured nearly 400 providers of laboratory automation and research tools from around the globe.
SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is a global professional society that unites researchers in academia, industry, and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology through education, knowledge exchange, and community building.
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