Celldom

Celldom, founded in 2016, is a life sciences technology company operating in the single-cell analysis market. The company was co-founded by Benjamin Yellen, a former professor at Duke University, and Kris Wood, a Professor of Cancer Biology at Duke. Yellen, who now serves as CEO, brings expertise in computer vision, microscopy, and microfabrication from his academic career focused on colloidal physics and living systems. The firm originated from Duke University and established a base in Durham, North Carolina, before relocating its headquarters to San Carlos, California.

Celldom is focused on developing and commercializing a platform for high-throughput single-cell analysis to support research, drug discovery, and development, with initial applications in oncology, immunology, and stem cell biology. The company's business model resembles a "razor and blade" strategy, centered on its core CloneXplorer instrument and associated consumable nanowell plates. This model generates revenue through the sale of both the primary analysis hardware and the single-use plates required for each experiment. Clients include pharmaceutical companies, academic research institutes, and biotechnology firms.

The core offering is the CloneXplorer platform, which integrates hardware, software, and consumables to enable the detailed study of individual cells. The system allows for the analysis of up to 100,000s of cells in a single experiment, combining time-lapse imaging of live cells with molecular data. Its proprietary nanowell plates, formatted like standard 96-well plates, are used to capture single cells for observation over hours or days. A key feature is the ability to perform continuous imaging and then selectively retrieve high-priority cells for further downstream analysis, such as genomic sequencing. This is facilitated by AI-driven image analysis and the Celldom Distiller Software, which helps users visualize and interpret the large datasets generated. The platform is designed to provide insights into cellular heterogeneity, which is critical for understanding disease processes like cancer drug resistance.

Since its first funding round in 2017, Celldom has secured capital through multiple rounds, including seed funding and several Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from the National Institutes of Health. A notable milestone includes the merger with microfluidic foundry MuWells in 2022, which brought its founder, Eugene Tkachenko, to Celldom as Co-founder and CTO.

Keywords: single-cell analysis, cell biology, CloneXplorer, nanowell plates, live-cell imaging, cell heterogeneity, oncology research, immunology, drug discovery, genomics, cell line development, high-throughput screening, CAR T-cell potency, antibody discovery, phenotypic screening, molecular readouts, research tools, Benjamin Yellen, Kris Wood, Eugene Tkachenko, Celldom Distiller Software, microfluidics, cytotoxicity assays, precision medicine, cell-based assays