Latest news with #PEGS
Metro
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Hollyoaks legend's jaw dropped at big twist as stars talk milestone 30th year
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Hollyoaks stars Kieron Richardson and Oscar Curtis have confirmed jaw-dropping scenes to come for Ste and Lucas Hay as a harrowing abuse storyline commences. Ste, as viewers know, was attacked by son Lucas last week during a heated exchange between the father and son duo. The scenes in question were the first in an emotional narrative as the Channel 4 soap highlights a common but under-recognised form of domestic abuse with the two popular characters. 'Lucas has been brought up seeing abuse,' Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson told Metro in an exclusive chat. 'Ste was abused by his stepfather then mirrored this behaviour with Amy [Barnes]. 'It got flipped and reversed when he was then in a relationship with Brendan [Brady], and Brendan was abusing Ste, so he's seen abuse from all aspects. And Lucas has been brought up around that. Now, many years later, it's happening again in a completely different way.' The first instance of abuse took place after Lucas uncovered dad Ste's role in the recent breakdown of his relationship with Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass). Dillon, as fans are aware, was groomed by Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) and Grace Black (Tamara Wall) into a world of exploitation and criminality. He intended on getting away from the manipulators by booking a holiday with Lucas, who had just been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Ste, unaware of what Dillon was going through, urged him to break up with Lucas so that his son would stay in the village and get the surgery he needed. 'I understand some of the audience were a bit upset with Ste keeping Dillon away from Lucas,' reflected Kieron. 'But in Ste's mindset at that point, if Lucas went to Egypt with Dillon he wouldn't have been able to have the surgery and there mightn't be any more Lucas. It was quite critical. To ensure the storyline is accurate as possible, Hollyoaks is working with PEGS (Parental Education Growth Support), which offers help to parents being abused by their children, be it verbal, physical, emotional, financial, or other. According to a survey taken by the organisation, 25% of parents who are seeking advice are being physically abused by their children each month. 'It's been so important that we've been working with PEGS support', said Kieron. 'It's been a little window for us to see that there is an organisation out there, if people are going to watch our storyline and say: 'That's mirroring my life right now. I don't know who to speak to.' 'Which is why we're really trying to hammer home the fact that PEGS support is out there. There are many organisations out there that are helping people. I think PEGS Support is one that we really want to shine a light on.' The soap star added: 'There's a reason behind every movement, every line, every reaction that Lucas does do to Ste. It's not coming out of nowhere, everything has been meticulously thought out. With PEGS support, going through the scripts and helping our storyline department, we're trying to get this as absolutely spot-on as possible.' Oscar added: 'Their guidance is giving the green light and just proofreading everything to make sure it's in line with the knowledge they've got from parents who are going through that. So we're trying to hit the nail on the head.' For more information, click here. 'So he was being, I think, a great father at that point by going: 'I know Dillon's the love of his life but he needs to stay away right now. He's got stuff he needs to deal with, Lucas needs to get better.' Wit the dust having settled and Dillon's plight now public knowledge, Ste asked the teen to move in, in the hopes of both making amends with Dillon and to assist Lucas in his recovery. However, Dillon's presence at the Rowing Club Apartments flat where they reside ultimately makes things worse, with Lucas growing paranoid about what his dad and his boyfriend are up to. 'When Dillon moves in it just adds another layer of complication,' said star Oscar Curtis, who plays Lucas. 'Because there's now this anger Lucas has got directed at Ste and he doesn't want that to be seen by Dillon. 'There are secrets kept from both sides. I think Lucas is all on edge now once he hears [a private conversation between Dillon and Ste] he just instantly sees red.' The situation escalates quite dramatically from this moment onwards. 'After the abuse starts at home and Dillon's in the picture as well – and Lucas has jumped to conclusions – the next bit we get to is Lucas again getting quite frustrated,' explained Kieron. 'He wants to just take it out and hit Ste and he starts hitting himself. He's got this huge scar on his head – it's amazing what the makeup department have done – and you know when you're getting so frustrated with yourself and you're just hitting your head? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'If this wound opens it's so dangerous. Ste's trying to say: 'Stop, you're going to hurt yourself, it's dangerous,' and then just throws this line out: 'Hit me, then. Take it out on me. I would rather you slap me, punch me, do whatever, than you do this really serious damage to yourself.' 'I think it's a parent/child thing, that visualisation and the parent begging him to hit him so he stops hurting himself. It seems quite harrowing.' Oscar, meanwhile, branded the scene a 'hard' one to film. 'I remember reading the scripts and thinking I don't know if I can do this. How do I do it? But we did it!' Lucas also remains angry with Ste over the fact that he didn't see through ex-boyfriend Rex, who is largely to blame for Dillon's ordeal. Ste too is riddled with guilt over the fact that he didn't know and it eats him up over how impacted both Lucas and Dillon are by Rex's stint in the village. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Ste is no stranger to having the wool pulled over his eyes, it's happened again and again,' admitted Kieron. 'So the realisation of what Rex was up to behind closed doors and what he was doing to these kids, it's horrendous for him. Then it's all about protecting Lucas and trying to make things up with Dillon.' However, despite Rex having handed himself in to the police over the exploitation, Kieron confirmed that we will see him again. 'Ste will have some scenes with Rex in the near future. That chapter, at the minute, has not fully closed. But whether that's just to scream and shout at him… Oscar also hinted that Ste's failure to see through Rex becomes a sore point for Lucas moving forward, especially in the aftermath of discovering the extent of Dillon's trauma. 'We've done some scenes where Lucas blame Ste for it,' said the star. 'He takes a lot of his anger out on Rex, Clare and Grace, and he thinks it's Ste's fault – Ste brought him into the house. 'I think Lucas has to get his head around [what Dillon went through]. Because it's the love of his life and he's been through this . The trauma on Dillon is going to leak into Lucas, really. It spills over. 'Obviously Lucas just wants the best for Dillon and Dillon wants the best for Lucas, but somehow every time they cannot manage to get it together. I think he feels quite protective.' The young star also revealed that fans can expect more drama for Lucas and Dillon in the scenes to come. 'I think there will always be drama with any HayRay storyline, and that's good!,' he said with a smile but assured fans that there are some 'nice part's in there too. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Hollyoaks will mark 30 glorious years on air in October and speculation is rife among show fans about how bosses intend to mark the occasion. Kieron and Oscar are just as excited as the rest of us and they told me that, as of yet, they still don't know what's in store, with bosses keeping the plans close to their chests. Discussing what he has heard, Kieron said: 'There's been a huge rumour going round the building of what is actually happening on the 30th. I've done a lot of these interviews and I've probably lied to you in the past going 'We don't know what's happening in the future!', but I promise you, hand on heart, we genuinely do not know what's happening for the 30th. 'There have been some rumours and I would say if this rumour is true it will be the most epic viewing the audience would ever have watching episodes of Hollyoaks. Epic! 'But it's only a rumour and we don't know and I promise you we are genuinely telling the truth. But you can't do a celebration of this show and something like 30 years without going big. If it's true, they've definitely gone big.' Consider us intrigued . Kieron was also quick to add that he thinks the audience have been treated to a lot of great material this year. He's not wrong. The show has pulled out all the stops over the past few months, serving plot twist after plot twist. 'People keep saying: 'I can't wait for the 30th,' but I've watched a lot a lot of this show in the past' he said. 'I've been in it 20 years but I watched it growing up – I have watched a lot of Hollyoaks! 'As much as we're excited for the 30th, every week when I tune in and watch it I just feel like our audience are really lucky anyway. It's like 'Bombshell. Bombshell. Return – what ? Clare Devine?! ' As much as the 30th is going to be huge, it's a month worth of celebrations. There's so much more to look forward to leading up to that, that is insane but incredible and it's the reason why our audience is growing!' Hear hear. And as for how the abuse escalates? 'In three weeks time there's something that happens in our family that was the moment my jaw dropped,' said Kieron, who stated that this storyline has genuinely left him 'a bit speechless'. More Trending 'As in real life, if somebody is going through something like this, it's not the only thing that they're going through. So there will be other aspects of things that happen to our characters that take different directions.' The storyline is the latest in a long line of powerful narratives that have had Lucas at the focus, with powerhouse star Oscar very grateful for the opportunity. 'It's nice to feel really trusted from upstairs, to be given a storyline like this,' he said. 'It's also just amazing to explore different emotions and play different characters and storylines that are so opposite to your regular, normal life.' View More » Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4's streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. MORE: Hollyoaks stars confirm 'jaw-dropping' twist as Lucas and Ste story escalates MORE: Hollyoaks confirms dark Clare Devine twist as teens are chilled to the bone MORE: TV stars deliver iconic red carpet looks at the British Soap Awards 2025
Metro
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Hollyoaks stars confirm 'jaw-dropping' twist as Lucas and Ste story escalates
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Hollyoaks stars Kieron Richardson and Oscar Curtis have confirmed high-octane scenes to come for Ste and Lucas Hay as a harrowing abuse storyline commences. Ste, as viewers know, was attacked by son Lucas last week during a heated exchange between the father and son duo. The scenes in question were the first in an emotional narrative as the Channel 4 soap highlights a common but under-recognised form of domestic abuse with the two popular characters. 'Lucas has been brought up seeing abuse,' Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson told Metro in an exclusive chat. 'Ste was abused by his stepfather then mirrored this behaviour with Amy [Barnes]. 'It got flipped and reversed when he was then in a relationship with Brendan [Brady], and Brendan was abusing Ste, so he's seen abuse from all aspects. And Lucas has been brought up around that. Now, many years later, it's happening again in a completely different way.' The first instance of abuse took place after Lucas uncovered dad Ste's role in the recent breakdown of his relationship with Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass). Dillon, as fans are aware, was groomed by Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey) and Grace Black (Tamara Wall) into a world of exploitation and criminality. He intended on getting away from the manipulators by booking a holiday with Lucas, who had just been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Ste, unaware of what Dillon was going through, urged him to break up with Lucas so that his son would stay in the village and get the surgery he needed. 'I understand some of the audience were a bit upset with Ste keeping Dillon away from Lucas,' reflected Kieron. 'But in Ste's mindset at that point, if Lucas went to Egypt with Dillon he wouldn't have been able to have the surgery and there mightn't be any more Lucas. It was quite critical. To ensure the storyline is accurate as possible, Hollyoaks is working with PEGS (Parental Education Growth Support), which offers help to parents being abused by their children, be it verbal, physical, emotional, financial, or other. According to a survey taken by the organisation, 25% of parents who are seeking advice are being physically abused by their children each month. 'It's been so important that we've been working with PEGS support', said Kieron. 'It's been a little window for us to see that there is an organisation out there, if people are going to watch our storyline and say: 'That's mirroring my life right now. I don't know who to speak to.' 'Which is why we're really trying to hammer home the fact that PEGS support is out there. There are many organisations out there that are helping people. I think PEGS Support is one that we really want to shine a light on.' The soap star added: 'There's a reason behind every movement, every line, every reaction that Lucas does do to Ste. It's not coming out of nowhere, everything has been meticulously thought out. With PEGS support, going through the scripts and helping our storyline department, we're trying to get this as absolutely spot-on as possible.' Oscar added: 'Their guidance is giving the green light and just proofreading everything to make sure it's in line with the knowledge they've got from parents who are going through that. So we're trying to hit the nail on the head.' For more information, click here. 'So he was being, I think, a great father at that point by going: 'I know Dillon's the love of his life but he needs to stay away right now. He's got stuff he needs to deal with, Lucas needs to get better.' Wit the dust having settled and Dillon's plight now public knowledge, Ste asked the teen to move in, in the hopes of both making amends with Dillon and to assist Lucas in his recovery. However, Dillon's presence at the Rowing Club Apartments flat where they reside ultimately makes things worse, with Lucas growing paranoid about what his dad and his boyfriend are up to. 'When Dillon moves in it just adds another layer of complication,' said star Oscar Curtis, who plays Lucas. 'Because there's now this anger Lucas has got directed at Ste and he doesn't want that to be seen by Dillon. 'There are secrets kept from both sides. I think Lucas is all on edge now once he hears [a private conversation between Dillon and Ste] he just instantly sees red.' The situation escalates quite dramatically from this moment onwards. 'After the abuse starts at home and Dillon's in the picture as well – and Lucas has jumped to conclusions – the next bit we get to is Lucas again getting quite frustrated,' explained Kieron. 'He wants to just take it out and hit Ste and he starts hitting himself. He's got this huge scar on his head – it's amazing what the makeup department have done – and you know when you're getting so frustrated with yourself and you're just hitting your head? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'If this wound opens it's so dangerous. Ste's trying to say: 'Stop, you're going to hurt yourself, it's dangerous,' and then just throws this line out: 'Hit me, then. Take it out on me. I would rather you slap me, punch me, do whatever, than you do this really serious damage to yourself.' 'I think it's a parent/child thing, that visualisation and the parent begging him to hit him so he stops hurting himself. It seems quite harrowing.' Oscar, meanwhile, branded the scene a 'hard' one to film. 'I remember reading the scripts and thinking I don't know if I can do this. How do I do it? But we did it!' Lucas also remains angry with Ste over the fact that he didn't see through ex-boyfriend Rex, who is largely to blame for Dillon's ordeal. Ste too is riddled with guilt over the fact that he didn't know and it eats him up over how impacted both Lucas and Dillon are by Rex's stint in the village. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Ste is no stranger to having the wool pulled over his eyes, it's happened again and again,' admitted Kieron. 'So the realisation of what Rex was up to behind closed doors and what he was doing to these kids, it's horrendous for him. Then it's all about protecting Lucas and trying to make things up with Dillon.' However, despite Rex having handed himself in to the police over the exploitation, Kieron confirmed that we will see him again. 'Ste will have some scenes with Rex in the near future. That chapter, at the minute, has not fully closed. But whether that's just to scream and shout at him… Oscar also hinted that Ste's failure to see through Rex becomes a sore point for Lucas moving forward, especially in the aftermath of discovering the extent of Dillon's trauma. 'We've done some scenes where Lucas blame Ste for it,' said the star. 'He takes a lot of his anger out on Rex, Clare and Grace, and he thinks it's Ste's fault – Ste brought him into the house. 'I think Lucas has to get his head around [what Dillon went through]. Because it's the love of his life and he's been through this . The trauma on Dillon is going to leak into Lucas, really. It spills over. 'Obviously Lucas just wants the best for Dillon and Dillon wants the best for Lucas, but somehow every time they cannot manage to get it together. I think he feels quite protective.' The young star also revealed that fans can expect more drama for Lucas and Dillon in the scenes to come. 'I think there will always be drama with any HayRay storyline, and that's good!,' he said with a smile but assured fans that there are some 'nice part's in there too. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Hollyoaks will mark 30 glorious years on air in October and speculation is rife among show fans about how bosses intend to mark the occasion. Kieron and Oscar are just as excited as the rest of us and they told me that, as of yet, they still don't know what's in store, with bosses keeping the plans close to their chests. Discussing what he has heard, Kieron said: 'There's been a huge rumour going round the building of what is actually happening on the 30th. I've done a lot of these interviews and I've probably lied to you in the past going 'We don't know what's happening in the future!', but I promise you, hand on heart, we genuinely do not know what's happening for the 30th. 'There have been some rumours and I would say if this rumour is true it will be the most epic viewing the audience would ever have watching episodes of Hollyoaks. Epic! 'But it's only a rumour and we don't know and I promise you we are genuinely telling the truth. But you can't do a celebration of this show and something like 30 years without going big. If it's true, they've definitely gone big.' Consider us intrigued . Kieron was also quick to add that he thinks the audience have been treated to a lot of great material this year. He's not wrong. The show has pulled out all the stops over the past few months, serving plot twist after plot twist. 'People keep saying: 'I can't wait for the 30th,' but I've watched a lot a lot of this show in the past' he said. 'I've been in it 20 years but I watched it growing up – I have watched a lot of Hollyoaks! 'As much as we're excited for the 30th, every week when I tune in and watch it I just feel like our audience are really lucky anyway. It's like 'Bombshell. Bombshell. Return – what ? Clare Devine?! ' As much as the 30th is going to be huge, it's a month worth of celebrations. There's so much more to look forward to leading up to that, that is insane but incredible and it's the reason why our audience is growing!' Hear hear. And as for how the abuse escalates? 'In three weeks time there's something that happens in our family that was the moment my jaw dropped,' said Kieron, who stated that this storyline has genuinely left him 'a bit speechless'. More Trending 'As in real life, if somebody is going through something like this, it's not the only thing that they're going through. So there will be other aspects of things that happen to our characters that take different directions.' The storyline is the latest in a long line of powerful narratives that have had Lucas at the focus, with powerhouse star Oscar very grateful for the opportunity. 'It's nice to feel really trusted from upstairs, to be given a storyline like this,' he said. 'It's also just amazing to explore different emotions and play different characters and storylines that are so opposite to your regular, normal life.' View More » Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4's streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. MORE: Hollyoaks confirms dark Clare Devine twist as teens are chilled to the bone MORE: TV stars deliver iconic red carpet looks at the British Soap Awards 2025 MORE: TV icon renews wedding vows with husband after 10 years in star-studded event
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Shropshire support group advises Hollyoaks on abuse storyline
A group that supports parents who suffer abuse at the hands of their children has been working with the makers of Hollyoaks on a recent Channel Four soap shows what happens when one of the characters becomes resentful of his father and starts to physically abuse Parental Education Growth Support (PEGS) said it was consulted on the issue and hoped the story would raise awareness of the founder Michelle John said: "This storyline reflects the need for early intervention, support and understanding." PEGS said it was set up "as a response to the lack of support services specifically designed to help parents, carers and guardians" experiencing child-to-parent offers support to parents, carers and guardians, as well as training for people tackling the issue and also seeks to raise awareness of Hollyoaks story follows the changing relationship between Lucas Hay and his father Ste, which turns into an abusive it develops, viewers see Lucas takes his anger out on Ste behind closed doors and Ste blaming said women were more likely to experience this form of abuse, but it could come in many forms, including verbal, physical, emotional and financial soap's production team said the support group advised it on the writing of the story, with regular chats to ensure the issue was portrayed John said she was "proud" to support the programme and getting the issue "more widely recognised and spoken about". She said it was a complex issue and families experiencing child-to-parent abuse were not looking for blame to be placed on their Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste in the series, said the storyline "flips the script on what many people assume abuse looks like"."It's uncomfortable, it's emotional, and it's real," he added. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Metro
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Hollyoaks confirms domestic abuse story with Ste and Lucas
Hollyoaks will highlight an under-recognised but common form of domestic abuse asLucas Hay (Oscar Curtis) will physically attack dad Ste (Kieron Richardson). Lucas, as viewers know, was diagnosed with a brain tumour, with recent scenes seeing him undergo life saving surgery, which entailed a series of complications. Ste was incredibly worried for son, who is brought out of his coma later this week and, despite the aforementioned complications, Lucas is set to make a full recovery. But the situation escalates soon afterwards, with Lucas holding resentment towards Ste for getting together with Rex Gallagher (Jonny Labey), who was largely to blame for Dillon Ray's (Nathaniel Dass) ordeal. Rex, as fans will recall, groomed Dillon into a trafficking operation and got him hooked on drugs. After finding out that Ste warned Dillon to keep away from him, Lucas will start to physically abuse his dad. Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) notices the bruises on Ste, who downplays the situation. Lucas is quick to apologise for his actions. More tense scenes are confirmed for next week. Lucas is thrilled when he arrives home to find Dillon, who is set to move in, waiting for him. Things are awkward at first but Dillon breaks the ice, asking Lucas if they can be boyfriends again. Subsequent scenes see Dillon apologise to Lucas for whatever transpired and he later confides in Ste about his addiction struggles. Ste offer him support, assuring Dillon that he can talk to him – not Lucas as he doesn't want him burdened him while he's recovering. Little do they know, however, that Lucas has overheard their conversation via the nearby baby monitor. The teen's anger boils over and thus he confronts both Ste and Dillon, accusing them of having an affair. Metro understands that this storyline will continue as Lucas takes his anger out on Ste behind closed doors. To ensure the storyline is accurate as possible, Hollyoaks is working with PEGS (Parental Education Growth Support), which offers help to parents being abused by their children, be it verbal, physical, emotional, financial, or other. Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! According to a survey taken by the organisation, 25% of parents who are seeking advice are being physically abused by their children each month. More Trending Discussing the story, Kieron said: 'This storyline is one that as a parent is conflicting, as you would do anything for your kids. 'It flips the script on what many people assume abuse looks like and both Oscar and I are working hard to show what happens when the dynamic is reversed. 'We often think of parents disciplining children, but what happens when the dynamic is reversed? It's uncomfortable, it's emotional, and it's real. We've worked closely with experts to make sure this is portrayed truthfully, and I hope it encourages the kind of conversations that might help families going through similar situations feel seen and supported.' View More » Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4's streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. MORE: Hollyoaks confirms dark Clare Devine twist as teens are chilled to the bone MORE: TV stars deliver iconic red carpet looks at the British Soap Awards 2025 MORE: TV icon renews wedding vows with husband after 10 years in star-studded event
Business Wire
09-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Lightcast Announces Limited Commercial Release of Envisia™ Single-Cell Functional Analysis Platform for Antibody Discovery
CAMBRIDGE, England & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Lightcast Discovery Ltd., a pioneering life science tools company, today announced the limited commercial release of its Envisia™ benchtop platform — a breakthrough droplet-based, single-cell functional analysis system designed to accelerate antibody discovery and development. The company will debut the instrument at booth #711 and present new data from its technology access program at the Essential Protein and Antibody Engineering Summit (PEGS), taking place May 12-16, 2025, in Boston. 'The Lightcast Envisia platform is truly one of a kind, enabling us to analyze single-cell functional activity in real time,' said Toon Swings, PhD, Technology Expert at VIB. 'The Lightcast Envisia platform is truly one of a kind, enabling us to analyze single-cell functional activity in real time,' said Toon Swings, PhD, Technology Expert at VIB. 'We are able to track cell behavior, administer treatments, and monitor responses over time, which helps identify and select cells of interest for downstream studies.' While traditional single-cell analysis techniques often rely on genomic data to infer function, the Envisia platform uses droplet microfluidics to perform highly controlled, sequential single-cell functional assays that capture rich functional data sets to improve decision making. Built around Lightcast's proprietary light-controlled droplet manipulation technology, the platform enables parallel interrogation of tens of thousands of picoliter-scale droplets, offering unmatched precision and flexibility. By integrating functional screening early in the antibody discovery process, the Envisia platform allows researchers to select and advance the most promising candidates. It also opens new possibilities in cell-cell interaction studies and broader applications in immunology and oncology. 'The Lightcast team is excited to introduce Envisia to the scientific community at PEGS Boston and to highlight the cutting-edge work being done by our pharmaceutical and academic collaborators,' said Paul Loeffen, PhD, CEO of Lightcast. 'This limited product release marks a major milestone as we shift from technology development to customer-driven deployment. Researchers can secure their place now to gain a first-mover advantage and access to unprecedented functional insights that will power the next wave of innovative biologics and therapies.' Featured PEGS Boston Presentations Advances in Immunotherapy Luncheon 'Advancing Antibody Discovery with Single-Cell, Function-Focused Profiling' Presenters: Paul Loeffen, PhD, CEO of Lightcast Kathrin Herbst, PhD, Director of Science at Lightcast Poster Number: A60 Poster Presenter: Simon Margerison Date/Time: May 12-13, 2025 As part of the limited release, Lightcast is working closely with leading pharmaceutical and academic institutions to validate performance, optimize protocols, and expand application areas, all in preparation for the launch of a diverse array of validated protocols later in 2025. The complete Envisia workflow will include advanced instrumentation, intelligent software, a purpose-built cartridge system, and assay kits optimized to a broad array of functional applications. The fully automated, end-to-end workflows will support a wide range of cell types, assay formats, and research applications. To learn more about the Envisia platform, visit About Lightcast Lightcast Discovery aims to unleash new capabilities within the single-cell analysis field by developing a more accessible, scalable, and flexible platform for scientists in basic, translational, and applied research. These capabilities will empower new biological discoveries and accelerate the development of novel drugs, therapies, and biologics. Founded in 2019 and based in Cambridge, UK, Lightcast has invented a technology that uses rays of light to control picoliter-scale droplets for functional analysis of individual cells. For more information, visit Lightcast, the Lightcast logo, and Envisia are trademarks of Lightcast Discovery Ltd.
