Our History

In 1994, Eric Paul founded MedTec, Inc. and it specialized in the development of state-of-the art laboratory test and validation equipment for the biomedical field. Since then, the AutoBlot Systems, our line of Western Blot Processors, set the standard for benchtop processing in clinical diagnostics. The AutoBlot family (2000, 3000, 3000H, and 6000 models) have played an important worldwide in clinical laboratories. After a successful run of 27 years in the market, our line of AutoBlot instruments was discontinued in 2021.

In 2018, MedTec Biolab, Inc. was founded by Dr. Jose Zavala and merged with MedTec, Inc. to create our Clinical Diagnostics Division (AutoBlot Systems) and our In Vitro Exposure Technology Division (CelTox Sampler Systems).

MedTec continues to devote a large part of its resources to the development and advancing of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and custom instrumentation. Our line of CelTox Samplers are the future of air-liquid interface (ALI) in vitro exposure systems for researchers across all academia, government, and industry sectors.

The vision and concept of the CelTox Sampler originated at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Jose Zavala developed what is now the CelTox Sampler during his graduate studies at UNC-Chapel Hill under the direction of Drs. Harvey Jeffries, Ken Sexton, and Will Vizuete. This technology captured media attention in 2013 when National Public Radio published a story on this system. 

During his postdoctoral fellowship at the US EPA, Dr. Zavala continued to develop exposure equipment. A symposium entitled “In VitroTest Methods to Model Local Respiratory Effects after Exposure to Pulmonary Toxicants: Not Just Smoke and Mirrors” was held at the 2018 Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting. Here, a talk entitled “Understanding Air-Liquid Interface Cell Exposure Systems: A Comprehensive Assessment of Various Systems under Identical Conditions” was presented by Dr. Zavala. Data in this talk clearly demonstrates the superior performance of the Gillings Sampler (the predecessor prototype of the CelTox Sampler). It was this work that motivated Dr. Zavala to pursue commercialization of his exposure chambers.