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Among the multiple challenges that today's laboratories face, ensuring the accuracy and repeatability of assays remains a pressing concern. In environments requiring higher throughput levels, manual pipetting methods used in sample preparation, transfer, and mixing can sometimes be time-consuming and prone to procedural errors. Primarily when you work with applications that require 96- to 384-well microplates, we recommend moving to automated liquid handling instruments for improved sampling efficiency.
Automated liquid handling workstations are popular in research and discovery laboratories requiring consistent results at higher throughput levels. In this article, we'll discuss some of the best automated liquid handling instruments available and what to consider when developing your high-throughput liquid handling method using one of these systems.
Key Takeaways
Liquid handling is one of the most common tasks in laboratories today. An automated liquid handling workstation supports a wide variety of techniques, including:
Applications that rely on automated liquid handling span multiple environments, such as:
Whenever you need to pipette, prepare, transfer accurately, or mix liquid samples for an assay, an automated liquid handling instrument can often produce better results while freeing up your laboratory resources to focus on analysis and research tasks.
For each technique required, there are multiple types of automated liquid handlers available on the market that can speed up your workflow and improve your assay's repeatability. In the last year and a half, many labs had to increase their capacity to handle an influx of COVID-19 qPCR tests – from the heat inactivation step to the final PCR plate preparation. Gilson developed a qPCR process (shown below) to assist laboratories in creating a protocol using both manual and automated liquid handling products that covers the entire COVID-19 testing workflow.
Figure 1. Gilson Manual and Automated Liquid Handling Instruments for qPCR COVID-19 Testing
As indicated above, the qPCR workflow depends on automated liquid handling instruments throughout the process. While this is just one example, the type of liquid handler you choose will depend on your lab's capabilities and the required throughput levels. Below, we'll cover the top four liquid handlers and pipetting robots available from Gilson for automating your assays and ensuring precise results by eliminating procedural errors.
The same environmental conditions and sample preparation steps apply in automated liquid handling instruments as with a manual process. To maintain consistency and accuracy, you use integrated software to program the instrument, eliminating any technician-to-technician variability and maintaining the required reproducibility between assays.
Although additional considerations may apply, some of these instruments, like PIPETMAX®, use the same pipette tips as your manual pipettes. The system's exact features, integration capabilities, and space requirements may differ, so you'll need to consider your lab's layout and technical requirements when choosing an automated liquid handling solution.
As a versatile, automated liquid handling instrument, PIPETMAX comes with a space-saving benchtop design that will fit any lab. With fully automated pipetting protocols, the PIPETMAX gives lab technicians the freedom to focus on analysis and research instead of spending hours preparing samples.
PIPETMAX comes with all the PIPETMAN® technology you expect from Gilson pipettes, ensuring you get reliable and repeatable results from plate-to-plate or run-to-run liquid handling workflows.
You can use the PIPETMAX for techniques like:
Figure 2. PIPETMAX Automated Pipetting Solution
Learn MoreThe GX-241 Liquid Handler provides a two-rack platform for large or small volume injection and automatic fraction collection into tubes, vials, or microplates. With only 39 cm of linear bench space, the small footprint makes it the ideal liquid handling platform for labs with limited space that need to increase throughput.
You can deliver samples to the valve with limited dead volumes and without any connecting tubing, helping to reduce carryover and contamination. Two transfer points allow you to deliver samples to off-bed detection devices.
The GX-241 Liquid Handler offers:
Figure 3. GX-241 Liquid Handler
Learn MoreAnother small footprint liquid handler is the GX-271 Liquid Handler for medium capacity or small-to-large volume injection. You can configure our GX-271 with a Direct Injection Module onto an HPLC or LC/MS system. The innovative port and valve design help reduce void volumes, minimizing carryover from the connection tubing.
Some of the key features of the GX-271 include:
Figure 4. GX-271 Liquid Handler
Learn MoreWhen you need to increase throughput, the GX-281 Liquid Handler enables you to perform a wide variety of automated or unattended liquid handling applications. This system features a dynamic volume range and allows you to adjust your flow rates and volumes without changing or replacing syringes.
Even with these capacities, the design takes up only 84 cm of bench space while holding up to six sample racks. The GX-281 and its optional accessories are ideal for situations where you need precise control over your automated liquid handling protocols.
Figure 5. GX-281 Liquid Handler
Learn MoreGilson works with laboratories worldwide to find optimized liquid handling solutions for any type of liquid sampling, transfer, or mixing application. Our instruments deliver maximum repeatability and ensure you can set up unattended workflows for all your liquid handling needs.
To find out more about our automated liquid handling instruments, accessories, and consumables, get in touch with a Gilson representative today.
