Helping labs to scale nucleic acid testing.
Automata Labs completely automates PCR and LAMP testing protocols.
Get patient diagnoses faster, more accurately, and with greater traceability with robotic laboratory workflow automation
The challenge
The pressure on diagnostic labs and their staff to meet ever increasing patient testing demand has intensified.
Staff challenges
Because of the nature of the job, staff can quickly become fatigued, disillusioned or bored, leading to a high turnover of workers.
Traceability
Manually carrying out repetitive tasks, like sample preparation or barcode scanning, often on paper, means accuracy and output is limited.
Quality
Manual labour carries the added risk of human error, adding to retesting times and thereby affecting patient outcomes.
Cost to scale
The cost of the manual labour required to fulfil lab tasks at means output is limited by working hours and workforce numbers.
The solution
Automata Labs enables labs to expedite PCR and LAMP tests by combining tried-and-tested lab equipment with robotic automation technology.
Staff enablement
With less reliance on skilled labour to complete repetitive tasks, staff are enabled to do more high-value analysis work.
Turnaround time
With diagnostic protocols automated, time saved can be used to analyse results: Getting patients to diagnoses faster than before
Auditing
With the ability for timestamping, barcode scanning, and more, the ability for labs to centralise sample data collection and management can be realised.
Scale up
Automating the complete nucleic acid testing workflow allows labs to scale and significantly increase output to meet demand.
Fewer errors
Reducing human touch points increases reliability of sample results, eliminating contamination and lowering chances for retesting.
Laboratory workflow automation for Covid-19 nucleic acid testing
Automated LAMP testing
Compatible with automated liquid handlers like OpenTrons, FlowBot FlowOne and Agilent Bravo, Automata Labs’ LAMP testing solution combines six individual Modular Pods into one complete, temperature-controlled workflow.
The first pod in the LAMP-testing workflow stores Labware between assays. A single-point reloading system enables automatic batch-loading and gives at least 4 hours of walk-away time.
Able to integrate with numerous automated liquid handlers, such as OpenTrons, the second LabPod dispenses the lysis and master mix, both stored at 4°C, into 96 well plates and genie strips.
The Autosampler reformats samples for testing. Samples are uncapped, aspirated and dispensed before being recapped, whilst rejected vials are reprocessed. To ensure traceability, all samples and plates have their barcodes scanned. Also able to house an extractor fan to ensure the correct level of biosafety.
The fourth pod contains a plate sealer and a thermocycler. The plate is first sealed to prevent any evaporation before being heated to over 60°, enabling the lysis to act on the sample. Also able to house an extractor fan to ensure the correct level of biosafety.
The fifth pod reformats samples in preparation for the Genie-HT reader. Using an automated liquid handler, such as FlowOne, the sample is moved to a Genie Strip already containing the master mix. The Strip is then closed and the plate safely disposed of.
Finally, the sample is loaded into the Genie-HT reader to be tested. Once tested, the Strip is unloaded then safely disposed of. Also able to house an extractor fan to avoid cross contamination.
Automated PCR testing
Automata Labs’ automated PCR-testing solution combines six individual Modular Pods into one complete workflow. This workflow lays out our recommended approach based on cost and maximising available space.
The first pod in the PCR-testing workflow stores Labware between assays. A single-point reloading system enables automatic batch-loading and gives at least 4 hours of walk-away time.
The Autosampler reformats samples for testing. Samples are uncapped, aspirated and dispensed before being recapped, whilst rejected vials are reprocessed. To ensure traceability, all samples and plates have their barcodes scanned. Also able to house an extractor fan to ensure the correct level of biosafety.
Able to rapidly dispense extraction reagents into plates, the third LabPod ensures a high-throughput operation and integrates with numerous reagent dispensers, including Thermo Fisher Multidrop.
The fourth LabPod in the workflow is responsible for completing the bead-based nucleic acid extraction.
LabPod 5 adds the master mix to the plate using a liquid handler such as OpenTrons, FlowBot FlowOne and Agilent Bravo.
Finally, the plate is sealed to avoid evaporation during thermocycling and then loaded into an RT-PCR analyser, such as QuantStudio.
Automation for any lab
Our automated, modular workflow solutions can be adapted to meet specific lab requirements across diagnostics, drug discovery, microbiology, virology and genomics.
Enabling rapid cell line development with automation.
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Complete colony counting automation for environmental testing.
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Laboratory workflow automation solution for nucleic acid testing for PCR and LAMP protocols.
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Complete automated library preparation protocol solution for genomic sequencing.
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Complete automated workflow solution for ELISA assays.
View solutionSome of our clients
Resources
NHS partners with Automata to automate testing facility
Discover how University Hospital Southampton (UHS) rapidly scaled up capacity to meet new high throughput targets
Read case study
Using automation to improve your diagnostic efficiency
Efficiency in lab diagnostics is critical to ensuring the best possible patient outcomes. Here’s how to use automation to help you reach a better efficiency.
Read the full guide
Scaling diagnostic testing with lab automation
Efficiency in lab diagnostics is critical to ensuring the best possible patient outcomes. Here’s how to use automation to help you reach a better efficiency.
Read full case study
