High Throughput Plate And Tube Sample Processing System
Menlo Park, CA - Velocity11, a leading provider of automation solutions, has announced a technical poster describing a high throughput plate and tube sample processing system that forms the automated core of a compound library facility.
The Eskitis Institute for Cell and Molecular Therapies (Brisbane, Australia) chose Velocity11's BioCel® automation system, TTP LabTech's comPOUND storage modules and TekCel's ASM plate storage / retrieval system to form the core of the Queensland Compound Library (QCL) facility. Using the QCL facility - chemists are able to deposit their samples and natural product extracts into Australia's only purpose built small molecule repository. Biologists can select screening sets in their preferred microplate format from the unique suite of molecules on offer.
The technical poster describes the technical, logistical and intellectual property challenges overcome in establishing the fully integrated compound repository and management system. Using the powerful Velocity11 BioCel automation system the Eskitis Institute for Cell and Molecular Therapies was able to set up an environmentally controlled plate and tube processing system where compound integrity is maintained without compromising flexibility. Leveraging its powerful VWorks software the Velocity11 BioCel automation system seamlessly integrates with the TTP Labtech and TekCel sample storage systems to provide the QCL facility with an unprecedented solution in terms of secure compound management, sample storage format flexibility, processing speed, sample handling accuracy, and space efficiency.
The BioCel automation system has a proven track record in the field of compound handling. Using high-quality devices placed around a very high-speed 3-axis radial robot the BioCel system in the QCL facility is able to rapidly and securely process tube racks and plates supplied from the storage units. Two VPrep® Precision Liquid Handlers allow for simultaneous processing of both septum-sealed tubes and microtitre plates. A Labcyte Echo550® acoustic dispenser provides non-contact, very low volume dispensing capability. To complement the environmental control in the storage units the BioCel was equipped with inert gas shelves on the liquid handler and a PlateLoc® thermal plate sealer with integrated inert gas purging to allow plates to be sealed with a protective inert gas layer. Other equipment on the BioCel included a VSpin® centrifuge, VCode® print and apply station, VStack® labware stackers and 1D and 2D barcode scanners.
Since 1999, Velocity 11 has combined innovative engineering with high standards of quality and customer service, to design and manufacture flexible high-performance automation systems and instruments for applications that include medium to high throughput screening of cell-based and enzyme assays, ELISA, plasmid and sequencing preparation, PCR clean-up, solubility, and more. Velocity11 is an Agilent Technologies company.
SOURCE: Velocity11