SCREENCELL

Their core work

SCREENCELL is a French biotech SME whose name and project participation both point to cell-based screening and biological assay technologies. They contributed as a specialist partner to cancer biomechanics research (FORCE project), where the focus was on measuring interstitial fluid pressure, tissue mechanics, and drug uptake in tumors — capabilities that require precision cell-level measurement tools. They also participated in Alzheimer's disease research (ArrestAD) centered on heparan sulfate membrane biology and monocyte-based screening for early diagnosis. Taken together, their profile suggests a company that develops or applies cellular screening platforms and biological assays applicable across oncology and neurodegenerative disease indications.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

SCREENCELL's two projects started within a year of each other (2016–2017), so the shift is less a temporal evolution and more a deliberate breadth strategy across two disease areas. Their first project anchored them in cancer biophysics — mechanical tissue properties, fluid dynamics, and drug delivery at the cellular scale. Their second project pivoted sharply toward neurodegeneration, specifically Alzheimer's membrane biology and early diagnostic screening. The common thread across both is cellular-scale measurement and disease screening, suggesting the company has a platform or methodology applicable to multiple pathologies rather than being narrowly disease-specific.

SCREENCELL appears to be broadening from cancer biophysics toward neurodegenerative disease diagnostics, positioning their cell-screening capabilities as cross-disease assets — making them a potentially versatile partner for any consortium needing cellular assay or membrane biology expertise.

How they like to work

SCREENCELL has exclusively joined consortia as a participant, never leading a project in their H2020 history. With 26 unique partners across 10 countries from just 2 projects, they have been embedded in large, diverse, international consortia — suggesting they bring a well-defined specialist contribution rather than general project management capacity. This profile fits a company that plugs their specific tool or assay capability into a broader research programme and delivers a focused output.

SCREENCELL has built a surprisingly broad network for a two-project SME — 26 unique partners across 10 countries, indicating both consortia were large and geographically diverse. There is no evidence of repeated partners, suggesting they enter new networks rather than consolidating existing ones.

What sets them apart

SCREENCELL occupies an unusual cross-disease niche: the same cell screening or membrane biology toolkit appears relevant to both solid tumor research and Alzheimer's early diagnosis — two areas rarely served by the same SME. For a consortium builder, this means SCREENCELL could satisfy a cell-biology or screening requirement without being locked into a single therapeutic area. Their small size and specialist focus also means they are likely faster to engage and more flexible than larger industry partners.

Highlights from their portfolio

• FORCE
  Their largest grant (€322,500) placed them in a cutting-edge cancer imaging consortium combining MR-elastography and biophysical tumor modelling — a technically demanding and well-funded Health pillar project.
• ArrestAD
  Participation in an FET (Future and Emerging Technologies) Alzheimer's project demonstrates willingness to engage with high-risk, early-stage science well outside their cancer-focused origins.