Previous LRIG Events

Introduction & Opening Remarks
Mike Biros, Amer El-Hage, LRIG Bay Area.

Accelerating Research by Integrating Vision and Motion Measurement Technologies into the Laboratory Workflow
Christoph Wimmer, Business Development Manager, National Instrument

By integrating measurements and automating processes, labs can accelerate research and simplify laboratory processes. However, determining which tools to use to automate labs is a challenge that many researchers currently face. Using vision and motion technologies, researchers can control and automate instruments with flexibility, easily integrate with off-the-shelf hardware, and quickly and accurately solve diverse application challenges from automating test equipment and research labs to controlling biomedical sampling and testing. Explore how to deploy each of these technologies into lab environments to accelerate research projects by increasing performance, reliability, and productivity. Also review customer solutions that showcase how companies like Celera Genomics Group automated pipetting robots that transfer samples and dispense reagents while processing initial E. coli clones; how Wyeth Neuroscience used computer-based data acquisition and NI LabVIEW to automate the generation of synaptic physiology data from multiple brain slices; and how SpectruMedix automated a commercial DNA-sequencing capillary electrophoresis spectrometer.

A 4-Way Nano Fluidic Intersection: When Scientists and Engineers Collide
Christopher A. Bonagura, Ph.D., Art Robbins

ARI has developed and released a new nano fluidic liquid handler that accompanies the Phoenix platform. This new system allows for both air backed and liquid backed fluid handling capabilities, depending on the user’s needs. The nano tip dispenses down to 100 nl with high precision. The system now comes configured as a single channel unit and up to a 4-Way “Quad” channel unit, combined with a 96 or 384 channel head of the Phoenix. The 4-channel allows for lab personnel to independently use each of the 4 dispense channels to be tasked to separate activities, allowing for new combinations of complex reactions and additions to be done quickly and accurately.

We will describe developing the new ARI nano dispenser technology and the software that drives it. We illustrate how features of the system allow users in protein crystallization to generate novel methods that could not be achieved using other less versatile systems. The Phoenix can also be fitted onto larger integrated robots as demonstrated by the SE unit from Rigaku, and an earlier integrated fluid handling system, the CrystalBot. Finally, we will show how this technology can be deployed as an advantage in other high throughput laboratory settings.

Overlord2 - Access to a Huge Range of Instruments from Your Existing Laboratory Automation Application
Malcolm Crook, Ph.D. & Rob Harkness, Process Analysis & Automation

New hardware and software ideas are required to advance existing laboratory automation workcells into smaller, reliable, easier to use and flexible sample processing units. This can be achieved by the clever integration of technologies from other factory automation systems and the clever design of control software. An example of robust engineering, new systems integration control software and a new user front end will be presented as new tools for a new decade of science.

Vendor Exhibits and Networking

Ultrasonic Microplate Mixing for Efficient Sample Prep and Improved Assay Results in the Laboratory workflow
Vibhu Vivek, Founder and CTO, Microsonics

The issues of proper assay mixing, compound re-solubilization, isothermal thawing and bead and cell suspension have become more acute as microplate volumes have decreased.
Mixing has proven to be a limiting factor in the laboratory automation industry’s migration to smaller well volumes and higher density plate formats for compound and assay microplates. As the plates move to higher densities, the aspect ratio of the wells, the surface tension of the fluid and capillary forces all make conventional mixing a more difficult task.
Microsonics has harnessed the power of ultrasonic energy for effective non-contact mixing, solubilization, isothermal thawing and bead and particle re-suspension in microplate format.

Its patented technology uses a unique transducer to produce strong Lateral Ultrasonic Thrust TM (LUT) waves in liquids, creating very effective non-contact mixing and thawing for 96, 384 and 1536 well microplates in the form of a commercially available product, the HENDRIX SM100. This novel, patented form of ultrasonic energy is generated using Fresnel Annular Sector Actuator-based (FASA) transducer elements and introduced into microplate wells with finely tuned control of the amount and type of power, and less dependence on plate material and geometry. This allows everything from gentle mixing of cells, to more aggressive mixing of assay components, magnetic beads and particles to more energetic thawing of frozen microplates or mini-tubes, all without any contact to the material in the microplate wells!

Numerous examples will be cited, as well as videos dramatically illustrating the unique properties of this outstanding new technology now commercially available as the HENDRIX SM100 for effective fluid processing.

Direct Drive Technology for Laboratory Automation
Marc Valer, Integrated Systems Product Manager, Agilent – Velocity 11

With the application of direct drive technology and extensive input from life science automation scientists, Agilent designed the Direct Drive Robot (DDR) from scratch. It’s a full size robot that, when integrated with VWorks scheduling software, effectively handles microplates with more flexibility, better efficiency and improved safety compared to its predecessors. The integration of direct drive technology and advanced collision sensing among other novel features, makes the DDR the first robot that can be truly utilized in a top performing encapsulated solution as well as a benchtop, mobile system that effectively solves integration needs where they arise, while at the same time defining a new level of protection for equipment and operators in life sciences.

We will present some of the new hardware and software concepts and algorithms utilized for advanced path planning, re-gripping and collision detection/recovery as well as innovative solutions needed for robust manufacturing and testing.

An Integrated, Automated System for High-Throughput ADME Sample analysis to Enhance Laboratory Workflows
Michael Biros, Biocius (A wholly owned subsidiary of BioTrove)

Efficient and robust in vitro ADME assay screening is essential for early drug candidate optimization. Mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as the preferred method to address the multi-dimensional challenge toward compound selection on account of its sensitivity, selectivity, and label-free rationale. However, a daunting shortcoming of MS (in contrast with competing technologies that utilize fluorometric or radiometric probes) is its low throughput: Traditional MS approaches require time-consuming off-line sample preparation and liquid chromatography (LC) separation. In contrast, the innovative RapidFire 300 instrument draws on MS-based data quality without conceding speed and integrates easily into existing laboratory workflows.

At its core, the RapidFire 300 platform consists of a fast, serial, solid-phase extraction (SPE) sample purification system, interfaced to an atmospheric phase ionization (API) MS. Automated sampling of analytes is achieved using a plate handler with a barcode scanner that can accommodate 96-well or 384-well plate formats. Fluidic flow is monitored by an optical sensor to detect aspiration of each sample. Samples are aspirated and delivered to an on-line SPE cartridge for purification. The SPE cartridge cassette can hold up to six different cartridges, allowing automated cartridge changes or multiple packing chemistries for method development applications. Analytes of interest are retained on the cartridge, washed, and eluted. The eluted analytes are delivered to a triple quadrupole (QqQ) or time-of-flight (TOF) MS for ionization and mass detection. A single sample can be purified, delivered, and detected by the mass spectrometer in 6-10 seconds and complete cycling of a 384-well plate can thus be achieved in less than an hour.

This novel automated SPE-MS technology integrates into the work flow of standard HTS laboratories streamlining and enabling an array of HTS and in vitro ADME studies. Thus, the RapidFire platform provides an innovative solution for label-free screening in high-throughput drug discovery and development applications.

Concluding Remarks and Event Prizes