SMILE · Project

Lab-Sized X-Ray Microscope Lets Drug Researchers Image Whole Cells Without Synchrotrons

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Imagine you need a special camera that can see inside living cells in 3D — but the only cameras that exist are the size of football stadiums and there are just four of them on Earth, with six-month waiting lists. SiriusXT figured out how to shrink that stadium-sized machine down to something that fits on a desk, about 3 square metres. It costs a fraction of the original price and lets researchers image cells in under 30 seconds, right in their own labs, every single day.

By the numbers

200x

Cost reduction factor for soft x-ray microscope assembly

5,000x

Size reduction factor (from 15,000m² to ~3m²)

€2.5 million

Target price per SXT100 unit

3,000+

Target addressable market (disease research & drug discovery organisations)

~100

Current number of soft x-ray imaging users worldwide

100-fold

Increase in researcher productivity (number of cells imaged)

<30 seconds

Target 2D imaging time for the SXT100-Pilot

€500 million

Annual spend on electron and optical microscopes by cell researchers

Number of synchrotron locations worldwide with suitable soft x-ray sources

6+ months

Typical wait time for synchrotron access

The business problem

What needed solving

Cell researchers today rely on electron and optical microscopes that cannot image the whole internal structure of biological cells. The only technology that can — soft x-ray imaging — is locked behind four synchrotron facilities worldwide, with 6+ month waiting lists and costs exceeding €500 million per facility. This bottleneck severely limits disease progression studies and slows drug discovery.

The solution

What was built

The project built the SXT100-Pilot: a desk-sized soft x-ray microscope that images cells in under 30 seconds. Specific deliverables include a cryo-sample holder for transferring frozen samples between instruments, an inline fluorescence microscope for pre-screening samples inside the x-ray system, and the fully assembled and tested SXT100-Pilot system.

Audience

Who needs this

Pharmaceutical companies with cell biology and drug screening programsOncology research labs studying tumour cell structuresContract research organisations (CROs) offering imaging servicesUniversity core microscopy facilities seeking to expand capabilitiesBiotech startups working on cell-based therapies

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Pharmaceutical & Drug Discovery

enterprise

Target: Pharma companies with cell biology and drug screening programs

If you are a pharmaceutical company spending months waiting for synchrotron beam time to image how your drug candidates affect cell structures — this project developed a desktop-sized soft x-ray microscope (SXT100) that gives you daily in-house access. Instead of queuing 6+ months for a few hours at one of only 4 synchrotron sites worldwide, you could image cells in under 30 seconds in your own lab, increasing productivity 100-fold.

Biotech & Disease Research

mid-size

Target: Oncology and disease biology research companies

If you are a biotech company studying disease progression at the cellular level but limited to electron or optical microscopes that cannot image the whole internal cell structure — this project built a miniaturised soft x-ray microscope that generates high-resolution 3D images of whole cells in their near-natural state. The system reduces the cost barrier from over €500 million (synchrotron facility) to approximately €2.5 million per unit.

Contract Research & Imaging Services

any

Target: CROs and core imaging facilities offering microscopy services

If you are a contract research organisation or core imaging facility looking to expand your service catalogue beyond electron and optical microscopy — the SXT100 fills a gap no other lab instrument covers: 3D whole-cell imaging without chemical staining or slicing. With an addressable market of over 3,000 disease research organisations, offering soft x-ray imaging as a service could open a significant revenue stream.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this microscope cost compared to current alternatives?

The project reduced the cost of a soft x-ray microscope assembly by a factor of over 200 — from over €500 million for a synchrotron-based setup to approximately €2.5 million for the SXT100 unit. For context, the cell imaging market already spends approximately €500 million annually on electron and optical microscopes.

Can this scale to meet demand from thousands of research labs?

The SMILE project specifically addressed manufacturing scale-up, ease-of-assembly, and serviceability to prepare for commercial production. The target addressable market is over 3,000 disease research and drug discovery organisations, up from approximately 100 users today. The project was funded under the SME Instrument Phase 2, which is designed for near-market innovations.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

SiriusXT Limited is the sole partner and owns the technology. As a private commercial company (SME), they control all IP from this project. Interested buyers or partners would deal directly with SiriusXT. Based on available project data, no licensing to third parties is mentioned.

How fast can it image cells compared to current methods?

The SXT100-Pilot system targets 2D test sample imaging time of under 30 seconds. Compared to the current situation where researchers wait over 6 months for a few hours of synchrotron access, having a dedicated lab instrument enables 100-fold increase in the number of biological cells imaged.

Does it replace our existing electron or optical microscopes?

No — it fills a gap. Neither electron nor optical microscopes can image the whole internal structure of biological cells in their near-natural state. The SXT100 is the only lab-scale instrument that provides high-resolution, high-contrast 3D images of intact cells. It complements existing microscopy equipment rather than replacing it.

Has the system been tested with real biological samples?

The project delivered a cryo-sample holder for porting cryo-samples, an inline fluorescence microscope for pre-screening samples, and a constructed SXT100-Pilot system with demonstrated imaging capability. The project also included customer pilots as part of its commercialisation pathway.

What regulatory approvals are needed?

The SMILE project explicitly included regulatory pathways as one of its work areas alongside manufacturing scale-up and business model development. Based on available project data, specific regulatory certifications achieved are not detailed, but the team addressed this as part of moving from prototype to commercial product.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a single-company project: SiriusXT Limited, an Irish SME that is both the coordinator and sole beneficiary of the €3 million EU contribution. The 100% industry composition with no university or research institute partners signals that the core science was already done — this project was purely about commercialisation. SiriusXT used the SME Instrument Phase 2 funding to bridge the gap between a working prototype and a market-ready product, covering manufacturing scale-up, customer pilots, and regulatory compliance. For a potential buyer or partner, this means you would deal with one company that owns the full technology stack and has a clear commercial mandate.

SIRIUSXT LIMITEDCoordinator · IE

How to reach the team

SiriusXT Limited is an Irish company — visit siriusxt.com for commercial enquiries. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the team.

Order a report on this consortium See SIRIUSXT LIMITED profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore whether the SXT100 fits your imaging pipeline? SciTransfer can arrange a technical briefing with SiriusXT and help you evaluate the business case. Contact us for a one-page technology brief.

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