Robotics
Agilent Bravo
The Molecular Biology Service has to Agilent Bravo LT96 Liquid Handling systems. This platform is the fastest and most versatile small footprint
liquid handling system available.
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Tecan clone handling robot
We obtained an Evo75 liquid handling platform (Tecan) in combination with a Pickolo clone picking module (Scirobotics) to expand and streamline our service of DNA isolation with robotic assistance. The main competence of its configuration is taking 9 cm agar plates from a source stack, placing them on a light table, identifying colonies, picking a given number of colonies and inoculating them in a 96 deep well plate. Thereby you could bring by one or several agar plates with colonies and sequencing primer and within 1-2 days you would receive the plasmids, sequencing results and backup agar steps (if desired). However, the colony picking feature can also be used to prepare single clone libraries of medium size.
Moreover the robot also provides some additional features like colony picking for “Colony PCR”, “Cherry picking” and “Colony counting” (for details see below).
Currently the setup uses fixed tips and we are applying stringent decontamination procedures. Therefore no extra costs emerge from disposable tips and we can offer this service free of charge.
The colony identification software works reliable and has many parameters for fine tuning, but due to the diameter of the fixed tips (ca. 1mm) and the accuracy of the robotic platform (±0.1 mm), the colonies on agar plates should have a “healthy size” and not grown too dense to prevent “empty picking” and cross contamination (max 1-2k cells/9cm agar dish, see Figure 1B).
Note that the system picks colonies in columns, NOT in rows.
King Fisher Duo
King Fisher Duo (Prime)
The KingFisher instrument has a comb with 12 magnetic rods to transfer magnetic beads into different solutions using a sterile plastic comb. The device can be used for various kinds of applications where magnetic beads are subjected to different solutions, e.g. RNA isolation DNA isolation, IPs etc. On deep-well row can be heated, the elution strip can be heated and cooled. The KingFisher will help you to reduce hands on time and achieve high reproducibility. It can be used as stand-alone device or connected to a PC when editing of protocols is wanted. The intuitive software allows easy customization of protocols.
· 2 magnet combs for 6 or 12 samples
· 2 positions for deep well plates and elution strips for up to 24 samples
· 30- 5000 ul volume
· High reproducibility
· UV-lamp for decontamination (Duo Prime)
· Very easy to use
· Intuitive software to customize protocols
· Heating row A: up to 75°C
· Elution strip: 4-75°C
Can be operated in cold room
XIRIL 100 Workstation
The Xiril 100 Liquid Handling Workstation is equipped with a 8 channel pipette arm that covers the volume range from 2-1000 µl. As a state-of-the-art liquid handling robotic workstation, each pipette can be controlled individually enabling independent Y and Z movement. Disposable tips with and without filters can even be used within the same pipetting process to balance contamination risk and cost control. Our Xiril 100 is equipped with a heatable shaker and a vacuum manifold for nucleic acid preparation.
Biotek Precision XS
The Precision™ XS uniquely combines a single-channel sample processing head, an 8-channel pipetting head and an 8-channel bulk reagent dispenser all in one compact, affordable product. In addition to transfers using disposable pipette tips, the Precision XS’ autoclavable and organic solvent resistant bulk reagent dispenser is available for transferring larger volumes. Intuitive Precision Power PC software simplifies the programming of applications from hit picking to serial dilutions even for those new to automated liquid handling. BioTek’s BioStack™ Microplate Stacker increases liquid handling throughput by delivering up to 30 microplates to the Precision XS platform.