8:30 – 9:30

Check-in

9:30 – 9:40

Welcome Address

Adam Smith

Chief Commercial Officer 

Indica Labs 

9:40 – 10:00

Advancing Research, Clinical Trials, and Diagnostics with HALO AP®: A Comprehensive Solution for Collaboration, Workflow Integration and AI Orchestration

Hallie Rane

Associate Product Manager, Clinical 

Indica Labs

Abstract

Digital pathology is transforming research, clinical trials, and routine diagnostics—but bridging these domains requires the right tools. With the flexibility to support custom workflows and built-in capabilities for algorithm deployment and validation, HALO AP® enables implementation of research-driven innovations in clinical labs, clinical trials, and drug development. Join us to see how our solution streamlines digital pathology workflows across research and clinical environments while ensuring security, scalability, and consistency at every step.

HALO AP® is CE-IVDR marked for in-vitro diagnostic use in Europe, the UK, and Switzerland. HALO AP® is For Research Use Only in the USA and is not FDA cleared for clinical diagnostic use. In addition, HALO AP® provides built-in compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 11, HIPAA, and GDPR.

Biography 

Hallie Rane received a BS in biology from the University of New Mexico and has a background in molecular biology and evolution. Hallie joined Indica Labs in 2023 as the Product Specialist for HALO AP®. Prior to Indica Labs, Hallie worked in both industry and academic positions and has held a variety of technical and customer-facing roles, where she collaborated with customers, scientists, and technicians to develop a diverse array of products. Her journey encompassed ventures into biotechnology innovation, academic research labs, and even the realm of craft beer production, where she served as Head Brewer.

10:00 – 10:30

Automating Macro-dissection with Insight

Scott M. Lawrence, MS, HT(ASCP) 

Algorithm Engineer IV, Associate Scientist 

Leidos Biomedical Research

Abstract

Tissue macro-dissection is the process of physically scraping specific regions of tissue from a histological slide to enrich for that feature for downstream analysis. The overall process is extremely labor-intensive and requires highly skilled staff with a steady hand to collect the requisite amount of tissue scrapes needed for analysis. As we aim to scale up our capacity and expand macro-dissection efforts, we sought to automate and integrate the macro-dissection pipeline for improved throughput, consistency, and functionality.

To achieve this, we teamed up with Indica Labs and Xyall to develop an end-to-end solution for automating macro-dissection. We leverage functionality in HALO AP®, which is used to assess the quality of the section, identify the target region(s) for dissection, and determine the number of tissue scrapes required. Furthermore, from the data collected, we aim to build more accurate models for predicting the number of tissue scrapes needed and assessing tissue quality for downstream assay suitability.

Biography 

Scott has worked in the field of histotechnology for over 20 years. During this time, he has developed a broad background in all facets of histology and pathology. In recent years, Scott has specifically focused on multiplex immunofluorescence, quantitative digital pathology, and AI development in digital pathology. His expertise in traditional histopathology methods, combined with proficiency in information systems, has enabled him to design and manage digital pathology programs across three separate groups within the NCI.

Currently, Scott leads the digital pathology group that supports the Division of Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) at the NCI. Here, we manage more than 1.5 million images across several studies and efforts. We provide image and data curation, assay development, and analytical support. In addition, Scott consults on and helps identify strategic digital pathology initiatives for the NCI, including supporting the enterprise deployment of HALO and HALO AP®.

10:30 - 11:00

Coffee Break and Networking

11:00 - 11:30

New Features and Upcoming Developments in Life Sciences at Indica Labs 

Anne Hellebust, PhD

Director of Product, Life Sciences

Indica Labs

Abstract 

The digital pathology landscape continues to evolve and improve and the software solutions from Indica Labs are no exception. This presentation will showcase the latest advancements in the HALO, HALO AI, and HALO Link products and provide insight into future directions. A live product demo will show how the enhancements accelerate AI-powered analysis, streamline workflows, and unlock deeper discovery from complex imaging data. Get a first look at the latest product updates and learn more about focus areas of development for 2025!

Biography 

Anne Hellebust earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Mexico in 2009 and a PhD in Bioengineering from Rice University in 2015. Her thesis work evaluated the use of topically applied fluorescent contrast agent cocktails to improve early cancer detection using in vivo preclinical models. During her time in the research lab, she developed a skill set focused around confocal microscopy and image analysis. In 2016, Anne joined Indica Labs as an application scientist, providing sales and technical support to customers world-wide. In 2017, Anne became the Product Manager, Life Sciences, and advanced to Director of Product - Life Sciences in 2020.

11:30 –11:50

Optimizing Digital Pathology Infrastructure Through Cloud Services 

Billy Heseltine

Director of Cloud Services

Indica Labs

Abstract 

This presentation will delve into how the Indica Labs Cloud Services team can elevate your HALO infrastructure through customized cloud solutions. We will introduce the offering and present a case study from our customers at the University of Washington who achieved a 40% cost reduction in their HALO deployment cost on AWS in four months by switching to Cloud Services. We will also introduce our ability to perform custom integrations and data migrations, helping you get the most out of your data whether it comes from HALO software, a LIS|LIMS, or a third-party platform.

Biography 

Billy is responsible for Indica Labs Cloud Services, specializing in deployment and management of cloud environments optimized for digital pathology. Billy holds both AWS Certified Solutions Architect and HashiCorp Terraform certifications and has over 10 years of industry experience within IT. Billy joined Indica Labs as a Technical Solutions Engineer in 2018, was promoted to Technical Solutions Manager, EMEA in 2021, and moved into Technical Product Management in 2022 before his most recent promotion to Director of Cloud Services.

11:50 - 1:00

Lunch

1:00 –1:30

Advances in Highplex Workflows

Spencer D. Revill, MSc, Btech

Field Applications Scientist, USCAN EAST

Indica Labs 

Abstract 

See a live demo of the new features that have been developed for Indica Labs’ HALO® in the latest version 4.0 including a new GPU-accelerated viewer, custom analysis outputs, additions to the Density Heatmap, and more! Along with these improvements are numerous updates to HALO AI, including new pretrained AI models, the ability to import previously trained AI classifiers, and the newly created classifier pipeline workflow which enables users to daisy-chain their classifiers for precise and efficient analyses. Finally, a quick look at some outside the box uses some HALO AI models. 

Biography 

Spencer Revill has a background in biotechnology (BTech). He ran a core facility at McMaster University for four years, making tissue microarrays, performing batch slide scanning, and running HALO analyses for academic laboratories. During that time, he acquired his master’s degree in medical sciences (MSc) focusing on lung fibrosis with the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. As a Field Application Scientist at Indica Labs, Spencer provides pre- and post-sales support to new and experienced HALO users in pharmaceutical, academic, and healthcare organizations.

1:30 - 2:00

TBA

Speaker

TBA

Abstract

TBA

Biography 

TBA

2:00 – 2:30

Introducing the High Dimensional Analysis Module in HALO

Donald Allen

Product Manager, HALO AI 

Indica Labs 

Abstract

Highly multiplex imaging is transforming the field of immuno-oncology research. As the complexity and volume of multiplexed image data continue to grow, advanced analysis tools are needed for extracting valuable insights. This presentation will explore the new capabilities introduced with the High Dimensional Analysis module, and will include unsupervised clustering and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAPs) for dimensionality reduction and visualization to the HALO platform. By attending this presentation, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how the new High Dimensional Analysis module streamlines data processing, enhances biomarker quantification, and facilitates high-dimensional analysis. 

Biography 

Donald Allen earned his BS in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from UCLA. He has over 5 years of experience in R&D with Dako/Agilent in the field of companion diagnostics. He is experienced in feasibility of Class III medical device development, deployment of clinical trial assays to CROs, and the development of manual scoring algorithms. Donald now works in the field of digital pathology and image analysis to combine his work experience and his passion for computers and technology. He joined Indica Labs as an Applications Scientist in 2017, was promoted to a Sr. Applications Scientist in 2020, and most recently was promoted to the role of HALO AI Product Manager.

2:30 – 3:00

Coffee Break and Networking

3:00 - 3:30

Workflow Development for AI-guided Image Analysis of Pancreatic Islets in Health and Disease

Dr. Zachary Freyberg, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Cell Biology

University of Pittsburgh

Abstract

The anatomic distribution, organization, and cellular composition of human pancreatic islets are more heterogeneous than previously appreciated. Moreover, islet responses to insults including type 1 diabetes (T1D) are not uniform. Patterns of T1D-induced cell loss vary between individuals and some islet cell populations are more vulnerable than others. This raises important questions concerning human islet organization and composition including how factors such as pancreatic anatomy, sex, and age may inform islet heterogeneity in health and T1D. Until recently, a major constraint in islet analyses was reliance on manual inspection of pancreatic tissue, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI)-guided approaches have dramatically accelerated the speed and throughput of whole-slide pancreatic image analysis. Here, we have established an AI-guided image analysis pipeline using HALO software for high-throughput, unbiased analyses of human islet distribution and cell composition under healthy and disease states. In parallel, we generated a computational workflow for processing these data. Our analyses offer a comprehensive characterization of heterogeneity in islet distribution and composition and the impact of T1D on these processes.

Biography

Zachary Freyberg, MD, PhD is a tenured Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Cell Biology in the Departments of Psychiatry and Cell Biology at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his undergraduate B.S. degree at Yale University in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, graduating magna cum laude. He subsequently received both MD and PhD degrees at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He then continued his clinical training in an adult psychiatry residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital - Weill Cornell Medical Center. Following residency, Dr. Freyberg completed a Schizophrenia Research fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Jonathan Javitch, examining mechanisms of presynaptic dopaminergic neurotransmission and amphetamine action using a Drosophila fly model. Dr. Freyberg subsequently started his lab at Columbia before arriving at the University of Pittsburgh in 2016. At Pitt, Dr. Freyberg has established comparative approaches in Drosophila, mouse, and postmortem human models coupled with innovative imaging approaches to study dopamine signaling in the central nervous system and in the periphery. In the brain, this work presently extends to studies of dopaminergic neurotransmission under healthy and disease states including Parkinson’s disease. In the periphery, Dr. Freyberg’s laboratory investigates dopamine’s roles as a modulator of pancreatic islet hormone secretion.

3:30 - 3:55

HALO AI Apps: Training, Validation, and Deployment 

Bill Edelman, PhD

Sr. Imaging Scientist

Indica Labs

Abstract

HALO AI Apps include a variety of tissue classifiers and cell phenotypers. These pre-trained models can accelerate your life science research projects out-of-the-box or with further tuning. In this session, Bill will highlight examples from both kinds of AI Apps. He will also discuss how each were trained on tissue images and validated, as tissue classifiers and phenotypers require different strategies for high-quality training. Join this session to understand the steps taken to build, further train, and deploy these AI Apps. Like other classifiers, these AI Apps can be used in HALO modules. Bill will also provide a live demonstration of AI App deployment and analysis chaining within HALO analysis. 

Biography

Bill Edelman earned his BS in Biology from the University of New Mexico in 2010 and a PhD in Genome Sciences from the University of Washington in 2016. His thesis work focused on mass spectrometry-based proteomics to detect kinase substrates related to Parkinson’s disease. His post-doctoral training in the Division of Medical Genetics at the University of Washington focused on understanding neurodegeneration using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell models, bioinformatics techniques, multi-omics approaches, and fluorescence microscopy. Bill joined Indica Labs in 2020 as an image analyst, providing HALO image analysis solutions to various pharma customers around the world. In 2024, Bill became a Sr. Imaging Scientist to lead AI Apps projects and Pharma Services for a growing number of customers with expanding clinical and research needs. He enjoys delivering custom data analysis using R and Python.

3:55 - 4:00

Closing Remarks

Adam Smith

Chief Commercial Officer 

Indica Labs