Technology

NEXT Labs has designed a proprietary system consisting of a low-cost controller and single-use disposable cartridges which automate all of the steps of sample processing and library preparation.

Multiple Enabled Capabilities

Disruption of samples: Sonication, chemical disruption, heating

Filtration and filter binding/elution

Magnetic separation

Detection: optical or electrical

Heating reactions, including thermocycling

Reagent mixing

Column cleanup

Today, these steps are time-consuming and labor-intensive or completed with capital-intensive robotic handling equipment. NEXT Lab’s solution provides:

  • Lower labor costs by 90% compared to manual processing

  • <$10,000 capital costs

  • Point-of-care use

  • Faster results

  • Minimized human errors

Team

The NEXT Labs team is led by Dr. Michael Connolly, Founder and CEO. Dr. Connolly is an experienced entrepreneur and technology innovator in genomics and medical diagnostics - he holds 20 patents to his name. At his previous company, he won $14M in federal research grants and raised more than $30M in investor funding. Dr. Connolly is building the technology platform and team that can advance research and enable clinical applications.

Key Partners & Consultants

  • Cito Medical

  • NextCorps

Dr. Michael Connolly
Founder, CEO

  • Ph.D. (Northwestern), Post-Doc (Univ. Illinois-Chicago) J.D. (Cornell)

  • Attorney, Nixon Peabody

  • Founder, CEO Integrated Nano-Technologies

  • Inventor of Automated PCR testing system, 20 issued U.S. Patents

Sean Higgins, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist

  • Ph.D. Cell and Molecular Biology (Upstate Medical University, Syracuse University)

  • Masters in Biology, (Southeast Missouri State University)

  • Experienced in biotech product development

Intellectual Property

NEXT Labs has filed for US and international patent protection, including:

  • 6 filed patent applications covering cartridge design, components and applications

  • Freedom-to-operate analysis concludes that the system does not violate current cartridge system patents

  • US Patent Office has indicated the cartridge design is patentable

  • PCT applications for international rights