Researchers at the HUN-REN Biological Research Centre in Szeged, Hungary have developed an artificial-intelligence-assisted technology capable of analyzing up to one hundred patient-derived cell samples simultaneously. The new method could significantly accelerate drug development and advance the field of precision medicine. The HCS-3DX platform performs automated analysis of three-dimensional cell cultures, known as spheroids. Using AI-based image processing and sample selection, the system enables large-scale, high-precision screening of cellular models within a fraction of the usual time. “Our goal was to create a unified platform that integrates the strengths of existing technologies and can be easily implemented in research and industry” said Ákos Diósdi, first author of the study, which was published October 7, 2025 in Nature Communications. The open-access article is titled “HCS-3DX, a Next-Generation AI-Driven Automated 3D-oid High-Content Screening System.”
According to Dr. Péter Horváth, Director of the Institute of Biochemistry at the HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary and senior author of the paper: “One of the main bottlenecks in personalized medicine has been the limited throughput of cell-based assays. The HCS-3DX system removes this limitation, allowing for fast, large-scale, and highly accurate analysis.”
The technology is already being tested on clinical samples through a collaboration with the Heidelberg Children’s Hospital, where miniature tumor models derived from pediatric brain cancer patients are used to identify the most effective therapeutic options.