Project information
- Category: Lab Automation, Instrumentation, Microfluidics, Software, Firmware
- Project date: 2005 - 2007
Laboratory Automation instrument for performing multiplexed assays on a microelectrode array.
Microarray based assays often involve multistage sample processing and fluidic handling, which are generally labor intensive and time-consuming. Buffers, enzymes and other reagents have to be delivered to the microarray surface and washed off thoroughly. Some reagents need to be incubated on the array for a long duration with active heating, without any evaporation. Microarrays specifically the one this interment was designed around is a flexible platform. It can accommodate multiple types of assays. To address these challenges we conceived and designed an automation system using robotics from the grounds up. Fluidics were separated into two groups of critical (expensive and requiring refrigeration) and bulk (buffers with long shelf life). Critical reagents were loaded into a standard 96 well plate and inserted into the instrument. As part of our generalized instrument controller software we have developed an automation workflow management suite in which all elements of the process are controlled using an appropriate process definition script (PDS). This scripted workflow management allows the process to customizable for many different types of assays. The instrument contains a twelve sector microfluidics chamber which allows twelve simultaneous assays to perform on a single array.