Illumina Introduces High-Throughput Solutions With Walkaway Automation

New AutoLoader and BeadScan Software Improve Scanning Throughput by 400% and Minimize Labor Costs

San Diego - Illumina, Inc. announced that it has introduced the Illumina AutoLoader to stage up to 40 high-density Sentrix BeadChips for scanning on a BeadStation - sufficient for 15 hours of unattended, automated operation. Combined with a new software release for BeadStation that increases scan speed, system operators can now achieve scanning throughput 400% greater than previously possible.

Illumina provides the industry's most comprehensive automation solutions for investigators performing whole genome association studies. End-to-end automation is particularly useful in the rapidly growing whole-genome genotyping market as researchers are performing association studies with thousands of samples requiring high-throughput automation in a quality-controlled environment. In addition to the new Illumina AutoLoader and upgraded software, Illumina systems provide for extensive robotics for sample preparation and labeling, revolutionary assay technologies for whole-genome genotyping, software for automated genotype calling, and a laboratory information management system (LIMS) that annotates, validates and data captures every single step performed on each sample through the entire process.

According to Matt Posard, Illumina's Vice President of Marketing, "The availability of the Illumina Autoloader adds to our comprehensive automation solution allowing our customers the ability to increase sample throughput and accelerate their research for their large scale studies. We're dedicated to not only providing investigators industry leading data quality, but also providing an integrated system that increases sample throughput and thereby accelerates the pace of their research."

These new offerings are available immediately and support all current and future Sentrix BeadChip configurations. Throughput calculations are based on Illumina's latest offering, the HumanHap550 BeadChip, which contains over 12 million features. Other lower-density BeadChips such as the 16-sample BeadChip for focused (vs. whole-genome) applications will benefit from even higher levels of throughput.

SOURCE: Illumina, Inc.