A rapid, high-throughput, viral infectivity assay using automated brightfield microscopy with machine learning.

Infectivity assays are essential for the development of viral vaccines, antiviral therapies, and the manufacture of biologicals. Traditionally, these assays take 2-7 days and require several manual processing steps after infection. We describe an automated viral infectivity assay (AVIA), using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and high-throughput brightfield microscopy on 96-well plates that can quantify infection phenotypes within hours, before they are manually visible, and without sample preparation.

NF1 Hematopoietic Cells Accelerate Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Development without Altering Chemotherapy Response.

Haploinsufficiency in the tumor suppressor NF1 contributes to the pathobiology of neurofibromatosis type 1, but a related role has not been established in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) where NF1 mutations also occur. Patients with NF1-associated MPNST appear to have worse outcomes than patients with sporadic MPNST, but the mechanism underlying this correlation is not understood. To define the impact of stromal genetics on the biology of this malignancy, we developed unique mouse models that reflect the genetics of patient-associated MPNST.