12:00 – 1:00

Check-in/Lunch

1:00 – 1:10

Welcome Address

Maciej Zerkowski

Manager, Life Science Applications 

Indica Labs 

1:10 – 1:35

HALO AI as a Shared Resource for NYU Grossman School of Medicine: Workflow, User Training, and More

Valeria Mezzano, MD/PhD  

Assistant Director, Experimental Pathology 

Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology

NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Abstract

This presentation will discuss how HALO AI is provided as a tool for rental at the Experimental Pathology Laboratory. HALO AI was installed in 2022 on a standalone workstation at ExpPath. We currently have 4 seats and 55 researchers who have been trained to use it. ExpPath provides training on image data management when analyzing images with HALO to ensure smoothest possible experience. We will discuss what kind of training is provided, how we deal with troubleshooting, how we calculate rental charges and how we use Halo AI to provide image analysis services for those who need speedier results.

Biography 

Valeria Mezzano is an Asst. Professor (Research) in the Dept. of Pathology and Assistant Director of Experimental Pathology in the Division of Advanced Research Technologies (DART) at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She collaborates broadly across many different disease studies with her research focus on identifying structure/function correlates in tissue for both normal and pathological conditions. Dr. Mezzano has an important role in institutional bioimage data management; her key work in this respect is on interoperability of image data and analysis workflows. She serves as liaison between Basic Research and Medical Center Information Technology (MCIT) for NYU Langone Health. Dr. Mezzano received both her MD and PhD in Medical Sciences from the P. Catholic University of Chile in 2007, and pursued post-doctoral research at UC San Diego.

1:35 – 2:00

Multiplex IF Workflows: Utilizing AI, HALO® workflows, and External Tools for Visualization and Unsupervised Clustering

Doug Bowman

VP Pharma Services

Indica Labs

Abstract

The analysis of multiplex IF (mIF) panels can be an intimidating endeavor. This presentation will briefly review tools in HALO® and HALO AI that facilitate mIF workflows, including pre-trained nuclear and membrane segmentation networks, interactive markups that facilitate data visualization, and the ability to customize spatial analyses. We will demonstrate how to QC cell positivity thresholds, perform AI based cell phenotyping, and validate cell scoring. Finally, we will showcase the ability to export data from HALO and perform advanced visualizations with Spotfire and unsupervised learning clustering workflows using open-source tools.

Biography 

Doug is responsible for Indica Labs’ Pharma Services group which provides quantitative histopathology image analysis services to support customer’s preclinical and clinical biomarker assays. He also develops strategic business relationships to support the services business. Prior to Indica Labs, he spent 12+ years at Takeda Pharmaceuticals where he developed and expanded the tissue-based imaging capabilities to support early discovery, translational, and clinical programs. He was a key member of a team responsible for building a digital pathology laboratory that integrated LIMs, immunohistochemistry, slide scanners, and quantitative image analysis in an automated workflow. Doug has a BSE in biomedical and electrical engineering from Duke University.

2:00 - 2:25

Elevating Digital Pathology: Harnessing the Power of the Cloud

Billy Heseltine 

Director of Cloud Services and Integrations 

Indica Labs

Abstract 

This presentation explores how our Cloud Services Team is leveraging the unparalleled capabilities of cloud computing to revolutionize the field of digital pathology. Discover how the cloud is enabling seamless access to vast datasets, facilitating collaboration among experts worldwide, and accelerating the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

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 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.

2:25 - 2:40

Coffee Break & Networking 

2:40 –3:05

IHC Reimagined: The Renewed Importance of IHC

Timothy Ritty, PhD 

Senior Marketing Manager - Clinical Research & Development Strategy

Roche

Abstract 

Several technical and therapeutic developments have sparked renewed interest in immunohistochemistry (IHC). The increasing use of IHC-based companion diagnostic assays, and the rapid rise of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) clinical trials has driven increased clinical use of IHC. In parallel, technical advancements in digital pathology image analysis have enabled greater amounts of data to be mined and enabled expansion of spatial biology applications. In response, Roche is focused on developing the next generation of research reagents to support expanded capabilities for IHC and ISH multiplexing. This presentation will provide an overview of current single and multiplexed IHC and ISH capabilities with FFPE tissues on the Ventana Discovery Ultra instrument platform, and give a look forward at products in development.

Biography 

Dr. Ritty earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology at University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, TX. After two postdoctoral fellowships, he joined the faculty at the Washington University School of Medicine in the Department of Orthopaedics as an Assistant Professor. Thereafter, he joined the Penn State University College of Medicine, with dual appointments in Orthopaedics and Pathology. In 2011, he left the academic environment to contribute to commercial operations in a variety of technical capacities with Thermo Fisher Scientific and GE Healthcare, and has been with Roche Tissue Diagnostics for over 8 years supporting instruments and reagents for Pharma, CRO and academic medical center research and development.

3:05 – 3:55

HALO AI 4.0 – Advanced Classifier Workflows

Spencer D. Revill

Field Applications Scientist

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.

3:55 – 4:05

Coffee Break & Networking

4:05 - 4:30

Pathologist-Assisted Digital Image Analysis Integrated with Data-Driven Strategies, with GraphQL Integration Across AstraZeneca Sites

Shahrukh Husain

Senior Scientist

AstraZeneca

Rakesh Choudhary

Senior Scientist | Imaging, AI & Data Analytics

AstraZeneca

Abstract

At AstraZeneca we are committed to the importance of data-driven approaches in oncology research and how Indica Labs products aid in managing and analyzing large image datasets. Integration across AstraZeneca's sites maximizes insights and collaboration through GraphQL APIs. The integration enhances capabilities and fosters synergy, amplifying the efficacy of comprehensive data analysis, visualization, and overall research pipelines.

Biography 

Shahrukh serves as a Senior Scientist at AstraZeneca, where he specializes in computational pathology. With over four years of experience, his work is primarily focused in developing end to end image/data analysis pipelines utilizing deep learning techniques. Shahrukh's work underscores his commitment to advancing technology and to drive impactful outcomes within the realm of computational pathology. He emphasizes the paramount importance of upholding data privacy, reproducibility, and accessibility throughout his work. Shahrukh actively seeks opportunities to collaborate with like-minded professionals, fostering dialogue and exploring avenues for collective innovation and advancement in the field.

Rakesh Choudhary is an AI and Image Analysis Scientist with expertise in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to advance pathology. He earned his MSc in Biomedical Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo and currently holds the position of Senior Scientist at AstraZeneca, within the Imaging & Data Analytics team in Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences (CPSS). In this role, he has spearheaded initiatives to quantify histopathological features using commercial software like HALO as well as custom-built AI models, significantly enhancing the assessment of drug efficacy and safety in clinical and preclinical studies. His interests are centered on leveraging AI techniques, particularly computer vision, to enhance and expedite drug development pipelines in digital pathology.

4:30 – 4:55

HALO Link’s System-Wide Compliance Solution

Kat Latimer 

HALO Link Associate Product Manager 

Indica Labs 

Abstract

In 4.0, HALO Link introduces its first optional add-on to support regulatory and compliance requirements. The system-level auditing and reason for change features are intended to be used alongside an organization’s standard operating procedures to aid Good Laboratory Practices within the research pathology space. All actions that trigger new data generation or alter data are audited. For organizations needing more detailed logs, the reason for change feature can be enabled. Join us and learn how HALO Link’s compliance solution can be leveraged within your pathology workflows.

Biography 

Kat Latimer earned a BS in Biochemistry from the University of New Mexico in 2018 and has since continued her education at Colorado State University studying for a master’s in Biomedical Engineering. During her undergraduate studies, Kat participated in several research opportunities including investigating the role of cellular adhesion proteins in HPV oncogene expression. After graduation, she became a Test and Evaluation Engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton. Wishing to refocus her career on biomedical sciences, she joined Indica Labs in 2020 as a Software Quality Assurance Analyst. In 2021 she transitioned to the Product Management team and has since been promoted to the HALO Link Associate Product Manager role where she works closely with the software developers creating new features to improve the user experience. 

4:55 – 5:00

Closing Remarks

Maciej Zerkowski

Manager, Life Science Applications 

Indica Labs