Basic High Throughput Screening Equipment, Part three

In this final entry in our series, we'll take a look at liquid handling equipment and miscellaneous tools.

LIQUID HANDLING EQUIPMENT

There is a huge diversity in the number of liquid handling equipment options that are available today. Most well known are the hand-held manual pipettes, so we'll skip going into detail about those. Worth noting are advanced automated pipette setups. Automated setups are scalable to a lab's needs, and the measurements and recording equipment used are incredibly helpful in replicating exact conditions for each new set of assays.

Popular liquid handling setups are numerous, so we'll take some time here to examine the most popular. Solenoid valve-based liquid dispensers use pressurized fluids, robotic equipment and a swift valve to quickly deliver material to microplates. Simultaneous dispersion is possible with this system, and it is best suited for detection reagents, cell media and buffers. Peristaltic pump-based dispensers use pumps, flexible tubing and rollers to move fluids. Cassettes (which house tubing, tension adjustment, tips, plastic housing and adjustment screws) used in the pump-based dispersion process are interchangeable and prized for their out-of-the-box accuracy. Unfortunately, their expensive replacement cost make this a costly option.

Pintools are usually only used for low-volume, fixed microplate transfers, such as moving compounds to the microplate arrangement from the library. Pintools are reusable, but they do need to be washed and dried before every use. Configurable and customizable, these see a variety of applications. Acoustic dispensers utilize concentrated sound energy in bursts that dispense 1-10 nL droplets without direct contact. These are notable for their accuracy and quickness, as well as a lack of contamination risks. The acoustic dispenser is able to effect separate concentration levels from a single stock. This is an incredibly versatile and configurable tool. However, it is known as one of the most expensive options, and its speed is often negatively contrasted against that of the pintool.

MISCELLANEOUS TOOLS

Hoods, Freezers and Incubators

Available in a wide variety of sizes, styles and setups, it's best to base selection of this equipment on both high throughput equipment demands as well as general laboratory needs. Here again, you should speak with any vendors and engineers or scientists with previous high throughput equipment experience for advice and direction.

Other Equipment Considerations

Once the basic high throughput screening equipment has been set up in the lab, it's a good idea to update safety measures and look into additional equipment. Specialized tools, such as pH meters, electronic balances and spectrophotometers, that will complement currently installed high throughput equipment are recommended. Again, speak with your vendor for further direction.

Basic High Throughput Screening Equipment, Part Two

In this article we'll continue our examination of basic highthroughput screening equipment. We'll begin by completing our look at various microplate reading equipment, and continue on to handling equipment.

MICROPLATE READERS, CON'T

Both monochromators and filters offer separate and distinct advantages. Filters are comparatively less expensive (allowing several to be maintained at  the same time)and are capable of efficient division of wavelengths and excitations. However, repeated equipment updates and the inability to perform spectral scans are notable flaws.

It's also important to consider any incubation and long-term temperature control needs that you might have. Modern microplate readers offer equipment designed to address these needs, as well as further tools to handle reagent injection, gas purging, and customizable top/bottom reader layouts. There are also several specialized high throughput, high content scanners worth considering because their specific applications. High content imagers utilize automated equipment and processing software to collect high volumes of data under customizable parameters. Laser scanning cytometers are notable for their use of lasers to excite microplates, an effective method for detecting cells, model organisms and colonies. Finally, label free detection is an exciting new development in the world of high throughput screening, but we'll reserve the details for another article.

MICROPLATE HANDLING EQUIPMENT

Most laboratories prefer to use automated microplate handling equipment. However, there are still partially automated options available for the budget-conscious. In order to decide which setup will work best for you it's a good idea to consider the average number of plates you expect to process each day, the volume you expect to handle, as well as the speed and accuracy expected in returning results, the amount of space that's available in the lab, software needs and any anticipated future upgrades.

ADDITIONAL

Once you've determined which microplates and microplate readers will best suit your needs be sure to consult with an expert regarding microplate sealing systems and materials, as well as monochromators and filters. Reliable sealing equipment will help maintain well conditions over the course of multiple assays, allowing for the quantification and recording of conditions, exposure length and contamination risks. Automated sealing systems are currently available as well. Monochromators and filters are used in wavelength selection. Optical filters are incorporated and used in emission filtering and excitation. Generally the microplate reader you select will have an approved option that's been recommended by the vendor. Many of the most popular readers are modular, making them highly versatile and customizable depending on a given laboratory's needs.

Basic High Throughput Screening Equipment, Part One

There is an incredible selection of equipment available to laboratories that want to utilize high throughput screening. This series of articles will take a look at the basic equipment needed for these procedures.

In order to utilize basic high throughput screening processes, at a minimum a facility will need the following equipment: hoods, freezers, incubators, liquid handling equipment, microplates, microplate readers, microplate handling systems, as well as some miscellaneous equipment which we will discuss later on. Organizing your desired equipment list will help you work with investors to ascertain a feasible budget and will help you decide upon installation particulars. However, if this will be the first time you work with any or all of this equipment, it's highly recommended that you speak with engineers or scientists who have previous experience with the equipment. It's also a good idea to consult with vendors for direction and specific pricing needs.

MICROPLATES

Today microplates are considered a standard tool in bioassay automation and miniaturization. These come in a variety of sizes, materials and colors, each of which is designed to best suit the needs of a variety of different environments. Most organizations generally use microplates with 96 wells, with a capacity that nominally falls between 250-300 microlitres. Some of the most common microplate materials are cyclic olefin copolymer, which is best suited for use in acoustic droplet ejection; polypropylene, which is often used for thermal stability; and polystyrene, which is often seen as a low-cost alternative to other materials.

MICROPLATE READERS

Microplate readers utilize light-sensitive detection technology to take measurements. A wide variety is currently available and often numerous configurations are used in conjunction with one another in order to take multi-purpose measurements. Popular technology includes luminescence and fluorescence intensity. Generally the setups are divided into mutli-mode and single mode readers. Single mode microplate readers are generally seen as more cost-effective and are used in smaller labs. Multi-mode readers are generally used for more specialized needs.

There currently exists a number of microplate readers designed with distinct detection technology, for use in certain labs. Fluorescence polarization, which measures florescent molecule mobility, and time-resolved fluorescence, which measures fluorescent molecule emissions, are two of the most notable. Absorbance, which measures light as it travels through the well, is used in the detection of light absorption. Luminescence measures light generated in biochemical and chemical reactions and is popular for use in gene expression assays, ATP detection and cytotoxicity assays. Another reader worth noting is AlphaScreen, used to study bimolecular interactions through the measurement of molecules under excitation.

The Importance of Working Closely with Laboratory Equipment Manufacturers

Clinical laboratory scientists have long depended on the most advanced equipment and technologies to not only succeed in their respective fields, but to push the boundaries of their work as far as possible. The success of a medical laboratory is especially dependent on this equipment and technology, as there is a constant race among competitors to give their staff every advantage possible. A lab without the resources of its competitor is no doubt setting themselves up for failure. In light of this, numerous societies and associations have popularized conferences, workshops and educational sessions that give these organizations the opportunity to experience the cutting-edge of laboratory equipment and technology first hand.

One key benefit of these events are the networks that are created among vendors and attendees. Too often a lab will encounter unfortunate setbacks when their equipment fails or malfunctions and they are unable to get in touch with the personnel they need on the vendor's side of things. By attending these events, Clinical Laboratory Science builds professional relationships with real people. These are the people who are involved in every step of the production process, from design to factory acceptance testing. And these events are the best place to meet them. With such a wide selection of equipment and technology on display competition among these vendors can get fierce. Each of them has to put their best foot forward to get noticed so that attendees can rest assured knowing that they'll have a dedicated workforce behind the equipment they select.

There are a huge number of scientific fields represented at these events. Specialists in microscopic, bacteriological, hematological, chemical and immunologic diagnosis make up a large portion of the attendees, but by no means are they the only ones. Any technologists, scientists or researchers who are interested in bringing efficiency to their lab and streamlining their procedures will be in attendance. Vendors come prepared to meet with this diverse group and are often happy to discuss anything from factory acceptance testing to the reasons why they got involved in the industry in the first place. Beyond the networking, lectures and debates, this first-hand experience and personal connection are easily the best reasons to attend events like these. Staying competitive can be difficult for any clinical laboratory, no matter their size. Events like these will only continue to grow in popularity as word of the wealth of benefits they offer continue to spread throughout the scientific community.

The Exiting Future Prospects for Micro and Nano technology

The Micro and nano technology is one of the most exiting in terms of the potential it has for future technologies. One of the areas that promise the fastest growth is in the semiconductor technology. The industry’s experts predict that the semiconductor parts are likely to grow by a factor of about 128. This means that a computer the size of an average desktop will increase dramatically in about a decade or so.

Biological Research

The micro and nano technology is being applied in the field of biological research. One of its applications is to try and separate the cells in order to make the study of microorganisms easier and more efficient. Isolation of rare cells is one of the areas that is helping advance biological research.

Quality Sensors

The micro and nano technology is also being used to develop quality sensors that will be used in space missions for research and other applications. This type of sensors uses less power and is more efficient than the current ones.

Space exploration

Micro and nano technology are also used in space exploration to design suits that will minimize the radiation that penetrates them and keeps the astronauts healthy. Quality sensors may also be developed to determine the level of radiation the astronauts have been exposed to.

Quick Guide to Implementing Library Automation Systems

Library automation systems have been used in libraries for years. It involves cataloguing books, documents and papers into organized sections for easier access. But the same concept can be introduced in different environments as well. Take clinical laboratories for example, which needs to be automated to facilitate work processes and establish a warehouse where crucial experiments, results and ongoing tests are stored. You can convert your laboratory into a fully automated ecosystem through numerous software applications available in the market today.

Evaluate your needs

Before executing your library automation system plans, however, you need to take stock of your needs as well as your goals. The first component that would be affected is your staff. Typically, you turn to technology in order to cut overhead expenses. That may include letting go of some of your personnel. Or in the opposite end of the spectrum, you might end up hiring more workers based upon the requirements of the technology. Of course, this may entail some costs. Training workers to optimize the benefits for example will mean more expenses, at least at the outset.

How will it affect your operations?

In the implementation of library automation systems, how will it impact on the operations? Data conversion for example will require changing the old systems to fit the requirements of the software. Does that mean you shut down the office while you incorporate the new technology into your workflow procedures? Will the transition be seamless or will the birth pains push up the overall budget to undesirable levels?

Also, you will have to determine if your software will be compatible with the other systems in place in your laboratory. It's not feasible to overhaul a perfectly working system just to accommodate the software.

Testing your new system

Software engineers typically run tests to determine the stability of the application before it is released commercially. The procedure is called user acceptance testing or field acceptance testing. In a laboratory setting, however, you need to run a factory acceptance test (FAT) to determine whether the technology that you just installed is working as it is supposed to.

The factory acceptance test runs the whole gamut from clinical trials, data storage, or bugs and glitches. You will be testing for the physical requirements of the software and how it performs in a real-world environment. The FAT is not limited to clinical laboratories, however, because other industries like oil and gas, manufacturing and information technology are also using this standard method for excellence.

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High Throughput Technologies and Key Benefits

High Throughput Technologies (HTTs) refer to rather experimental (in the sense that they are not widely practiced) methods and tools to quickly obtain and attain data as well as to improve the R&D productivity. Some laboratories and clinics might already be using one or two of these tools without them realizing it. For example, they might already be automating their laboratories, Next Generation Sequencing for DNA or using advanced data analysis and visualization. Other tools include parallelization of experimental data, RCP or rapid continuous processing and the effective design of experiments.

Combining HTTs

From being confined in the pharmaceutics, due to the exacting demands of the industry, HTTs have since crossed over to the other industries to improve research and testing cycles. While there might be some gains to adopting one or two tools under high throughput technologies, the laboratory can maximize results by amalgamating them into one integrated ecosystem.

Changing mindsets

One of the misconceptions about HTT is that it’s going to eat up much of your resources. The fact is it’s more about changing your own mindset to be open to new ideas, even if they are way outside your comfort zone, if it means improving productivity and results.

Clinical and research laboratories today face intense pressure to address rising costs, decreasing number of skilled staff and intense competition brought about by the global economy. But they can only survive and even thrive through innovation. Investing in high throughput technologies might seem a luxury for some companies but they are the only way to gain an edge over the competition.

Some benefits

There are some obvious benefits to adopting high throughput technologies for your organization.

- You continually develop and innovate products, which will benefit your clients
- You provide value adding to existing products
- Build your brand as a trailblazer