Apparatus and method for processing cell culture data

1. A method comprising:

performing cell culture experiments comprising multiple stages of cell culture in succession on each sample from a large number of samples to obtain cell culture results, where each stage represents a cell culture treatment having a particular set of conditions, such that each sample follows a protocol specified by the identity and order of the treatments applied to the cell culture;

specifying a subset of the samples that yielded a desired cell culture outcome;

performing, by computer, an analysis of the results from the samples in the subset to produce an ordering or grouping of the results, wherein the analysis for producing the ordering or grouping utilises information on similarities between different protocols;

based at least in part on said ordering or grouping, identifying one or more protocols that are effective for obtaining the desired cell culture outcome; and

performing further cell culture experiments in which each sample follows a respective protocol selected from the one or more identified protocols that are effective for obtaining the desired cell culture outcome, such that cell culture treatments are applied to each sample in accordance with the identity and order of the cell culture treatments specified by the respective protocol selected for that sample.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analysis for producing the ordering or grouping further utilises the number of samples from the subset that follow each protocol.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein assessing the similarity between different protocols includes determining a distance measurement between the different protocols.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining a distance measurement between the different protocols includes counting the number of stages in common for the protocols concerned.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the distance measurement provides a measure of treatment similarity within individual stages of the protocols.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said analysis is performed on a data set comprising a record for each sample in the subset.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein each record comprises an identifier of the sample and information on the protocol applied to the sample.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the information on the protocol applied to the sample comprises an ordered listing of the treatments applied to the sample.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said ordered listing is represented as a binary string, wherein each bit in the binary string corresponds to a different treatment in a different stage, and the value of the bit indicates whether or not the treatment was applied to the sample for that particular stage.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grouping or ordering the results comprises clustering the results.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said clustering comprises hierarchical clustering.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said hierarchical clustering is based on Ward's linkage.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein said clustering comprises a self-organising map.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a cell culture facility for performing cell culture experiments comprising multiple stages of cell culture in succession on each sample from a large number of samples to obtain cell culture results, where each stage represents a cell culture treatment having a particular set of conditions, such that each sample follows a protocol specified by the identity and order of the treatments applied to the cell culture;

a memory for containing data specifying a subset of the samples that yielded a desired cell culture outcome; and

a processor configured to perform a computer-implemented analysis of the results from the samples in the subset:

to produce an ordering or grouping for the results, wherein the analysis for producing the ordering or grouping utilises information on similarities between different protocols;

to identify, based at least in part on said ordering or grouping, one or more protocols that are effective for obtaining the desired cell culture outcome; and

to perform further cell culture experiments in which each sample follows a respective protocol selected from the one or more identified protocols that are effective for obtaining the desired cell culture outcome, such that cell culture treatments are applied to each sample in accordance with the identity and order of the cell culture treatments specified by the respective protocol selected for that sample.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said apparatus comprises a cytometry system.