For Immediate Release
San Diego, CA (January 29, 2025) – Companies, individuals and innovative products were celebrated with the annual science and technology awards announced during the SLAS2025 International Conference and Exhibition, the annual flagship event of the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening. This year’s event attracted more than 7100 registrants from 46 countries and a record-setting 409 exhibitors. Each year SLAS recognizes several exceptional presenters and exhibitors who represent the best of the Society’s community. The complete list of the 2025 award descriptions and winners follow:
The most prestigious award of the conference, the SLAS Innovation Award, was presented to Taci Pereira, Systemic Bio, for her presentation “h-VIOS: A Human-Relevant Drug Discovery and Development Platform Using Bioprinted Human Tissues.” The SLAS Innovation Award -- sponsored by HighRes Biosolutions -- recognizes one exceptional and innovative podium presentation during the conference. The winning presentation exceeds a benchmark or milestone in screening or the lead discovery process or demonstrates an advanced and integrated use of mature technologies. The award includes a $10,000 prize.
The New Product Award is given to companies showcasing new products that are commercially available within 90 days pre- and/or post-conference. Products are evaluated by a judging panel that looks at a variety of qualifications prior to and at the conference. Winning products are granted use of the New Product Award designation for a year, and the award is promoted through SLAS. This year’s winners were:
InSimili (Bologna, Italy) was named the 2025 SLAS Ignite Award winner from among the 18 companies participating in Innovation AveNEW, a specially designated area on the exhibition floor highlighting start-up and emerging companies. The award recognizes InSimili’s OxygenControl plates, which recreate the real human body oxygen microenvironment in standard consumables, enabling better decisions in early drug discovery studies and reducing in vivo testing. InSimili started in 2021 as a spin-off of the University of Bologna. Judging is based on the overall marketing plan, market presence and potential, funding prospects, plan for growth and the existence of a balanced company leadership, with a brief presentation made at the conference.
For their win, InSimili receives a $5,000 cash prize plus publicity via SLAS media channels, a feature on the SLAS New Matter podcast and ongoing recognition.
The SLAS2025 Student Poster Award winners were chosen out of more than 400 poster abstract submissions and were judged on various content and design themes. The award recognizes innovative research by students, graduate students, post-doctoral associates and junior faculty (less than four years in their first academic appointment) who are chosen to present a poster during the SLAS International Conference and Exhibition. Each winner receives a $500 prize. This year’s winners are:
Lan Mi, Graduate Student, University of Massachusetts
Genetically Encoded Fluorogenic RNA-based Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) Sensors for Cellular Imaging and Target Detection
Toan Phan, D.D.S, M.Sc., Chulalongkorn University
Decellularized Matrix-hyaluronan-alginate Hybrid Hydrogels to Enable Oral Mucosa-on-a-chip Microfluidics
Charissa Witters, Graduate Student, University of Antwerp
Forecasting Clear Vision: How QSAR Modeling Catalyzes Small Molecule Development in the Field of Corneal Endothelial Regeneration
Finally, SLAS distributed 54 Tony B. Travel Awards to students, graduate students, post-doctoral researchers and junior faculty from 14 countries chosen for their original scientific research. Winning submissions are selected by a panel of judges and evaluated on the relevance of the research to the conference program, statement of value of the conference and overall scientific merit. Each winner has a chance to present their research at the meeting through either a podium or poster presentation and each winner receives roundtrip travel, hotel accommodations and full conference registration.
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The SLAS International Conference and Exhibition is an annual event showcasing the world’s leading life sciences and technology products, services and education. This year, more than 7000 life sciences researchers, academicians, laboratory automation technology providers and business leaders from 43 countries attended the annual conference in San Diego, CA, USA, for a cutting edge educational program focused on life sciences discovery and technology. The Exhibition featured 409 providers of laboratory automation and related research tools from around the world, including 18 start-up and emerging companies chosen for participation in Innovation AveNEW.
SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building.
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Jill Hronek
Director of Marketing Communications
Telephone: +1.630.256.7527, ext. 103
E-Mail: jhronek@slas.org
