Tecan Journal Life Sciences and Partnering Business Edition 3/2013

A turnkey solution for forensic identification Uruguay, Latin America pages 24-25

Enhancing clinical diagnostics in Turkey pages 12-13

Meeting the demands of mass spectrometry sample preparation pages 16-17

Boosting capacity for veterinary testing in the USA pages 26-27 2 CEO WELCOME TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013

Welcome to the latest Tecan Journal

This June was an exciting time for Tecan dedicated system development capabilities, with the successful completion of the OEM complemented by the Tecan Cavro® brand development of the Dako Omnis, the latest components range. A Freedom EVO® platform major project for our Partnering Business. for mass spectrometry sample preparation The Dako Omnis, a fully automated tissue­ completed the picture, ensuring that customers based cancer diagnostics platform, was headed home from Houston knowing that co-developed with our OEM partner Dako, they could have confidence in Tecan’s 30 years an Agilent Technologies Company, and is of expertise, global coverage and proven manufactured by Tecan. It sets new standards reputation for quality and innovation. in advanced tissue staining, automating both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ In this issue, we learn more about the hybridization (ISH) processes, offering hospitals benefits of automated mass spectrometry and clinical laboratories greater flexibility, sample preparation, discover how the efficiency and traceability than ever before. HP D300 Digital Dispenser is enhancing drug discovery experiments, and hear from Another important event this summer was students of the Tecan Academy. Finally, no the annual AACC Clinical Lab Expo, held from edition would be complete without the the 30th of July to the 1st of August in Houston, usual array of stories describing some of the Texas. Tecan’s booth generated enormous innovative and interesting applications that interest, with visitors seeing at first hand the our customers around the world have for many reasons why the Company is the partner their Tecan equipment. of choice in key areas of clinical diagnostics. Highlights included the state-of-the-art Dako I hope you enjoy the journal, Omnis system and a focus on Tecan’s OEM David Martyr, CEO

New offices for Tecan France and Tecan Ibérica: Tecan France S.A.S.U. Tecan Ibérica Instrumentación S.L. 6, Avenue du Château de Gerland Torre Mapfre F-69 007 LYON C/ de la Marina 16-18, Planta 11a C-1 T +33 4 72 76 04 80 E-08005 Barcelona F +33 4 72 76 04 99 T +34 935 95 2531 [email protected] F +34 93 3308700 [email protected] Welcome CONTENTS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 3

page 7

Shanghai’s Changhai Hospital has successfully evaluated Tecan’s HS 400™ Pro

hybridization station 2 CEO Welcome

4 Automation doesn't get easier than this! pages 8-9 4 Tecan and Promega offer real-time cytotoxicity analysis

5 Automated mass spectrometry sample preparation; the key to an efficient workflow

5 Go configure! Receive a customized quote fast!

6 Tecan Academy offers web-based training for new users

7 Automation helps to improve in situ hybridization protocols

8 - 9 Shining a light on novel cancer drugs

10 - 11 Pushing back boundaries with ultra- low volume pipetting

12 - 13 Enhancing clinical diagnostics

14 - 15 Boosting drug discovery with pages 14-15 efficient transfection technology

16 - 17 Meeting the high throughput demands of mass spectrometry sample preparation

18 - 19 Removing the constraints of manual dose response assays

20 - 21 Novartis embraces full automation

22 - 23 New possibilities for biological pages 22-23 surfaces research 24 - 25 A turnkey solution for forensic Researchers at McMaster identification University’s Biointerfaces 26 - 27 Boosting capacity for veterinary Institute rely on the testing flexibility and modularity 27 Leading the debate of their Tecan workstations 28 Events Contents 4 product NEWS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Automation doesn’t get easier than this! Tecan’s Smart Automation solutions offer straightforward liquid handling for new users

Tecan is launching a range of benchtop The first Smart Automation solutions to A dedicated user interface and easy-to-follow solutions designed to provide fast, simple be launched are: application guide ensure that even and cost-effective automation of liquid Pickolo™ colony picking; for fully inexperienced users can get their systems up handling tasks. Based on the Freedom EVO® 75 and running quickly, with touchscreen operation automated colony picking platform, these preconfigured systems are also available for some applications. These designed to eliminate tedious manual liquid NucleoSpin® purification; for fully complete solutions provide an ideal introduction handling tasks without the need for previous automated, vacuum-based nucleic acid to the throughput, precision and reproducibility automation experience. extraction using MACHEREY-NAGEL offered by Tecan’s liquid handling systems, NucleoSpin kits with the flexibility to expand and adapt as your Each Smart Automation solution is supplied NucleoMag® purification; for fully laboratory needs change. with optimized, ready-to-run protocols, and automated, magnetic bead-based includes all of the modules and ancillary nucleic acid separation using To find out more on Tecan’s devices necessary to automate your MACHEREY-NAGEL NucleoMag kits. Smart Automation solutions, visit manual processes. www.tecan.com/smartautomation Tecan and Promega offer

Application Note real-time cytotoxicity analysis

oriented functions of the Infinite 200 PRO – including the Gas Control Module (GCM™), Optimal Read (OR), linear and orbital shaking, temperature control and automated z-focusing – offers an unparalleled solution Viable cell Non-viable for long-term kinetic studies of cytotoxicity. cell By providing stable culture conditions within the reader chamber, this set-up allows Low fluorescence High fluorescence continuous measurement over the duration The CellTox Green Dye is excluded from viable cells, but of the experiment, ensuring high quality data binds to DNA from cells with compromised membrane integrity, resulting in an increase in fluorescence Tecan has worked with Promega to without the need for manual intervention or demonstrate the suitability of the transfer of microplates between an incubator Infinite® 200 PRO and HP D300 Digital and the reader. prevent a bolus of DMSO from sinking onto Dispenser for real-time kinetic investigation plated cells, automatic plate randomization of cytotoxicity using Promega’s CellTox™ The assay workflow can be further improved and straightforward generation of drug-drug Green Dye. by use of the HP D300 Digital Dispenser interaction studies – the HP D300 is designed to provide on­-demand assay plate set-up. to increase productivity with minimal set­-up The CellTox Green Cytotoxicity Assay measures Offering non-contact dispensing from 13 pl to time for cell-based and biochemical studies. changes in membrane integrity that occur as 10 μl, this innovative instrument allows small a result of cell death. This non-toxic dye allows molecules in DMSO to be dispensed directly To find out more on Tecan’s Infinite 200 PRO real-time fluorescence-based measurements into the assay plate, eliminating the need for and GCM, visit www.tecan.com/gcm for up to 72 hours, and is ideally suited to time­-consuming and wasteful serial dilutions. mode-of-action studies. Combining the With a range of features specifically tailored To learn more about Direct Digital CellTox Green assay with the advanced towards cell-based and drug discovery Dispensing, go to environmental control and cell biology applications – including plate shaking to www.tecan.com/digitaltitration

Real-Time Cytotoxicity Analysis

Tracy Worzella1, Andrew Niles1, Thomas Hengstl2, Michael Fejtl2, Christian Oberdanner2 and Jessica Merlino3

1 Promega Corporation, Madison, WI · 2 Tecan Austria GmbH · 3 Tecan Group, Ltd., Männedorf, Switzerland

Abstract

We demonstrate the use of a non-activity-based cytotoxicity Using DNA binding as an indicator of cytotoxicity mitigates this probe, CellTox™ Green Dye, which can be added at the issue, providing a robust method of detection for time course beginning of an experiment and employed in real time experiments. CellTox™ Green Dye is an asymmetric cyanine for the kinetic determination of cytotoxicity. We used the dye that measures cytotoxicity as a result of compromised HP D300 Digital Dispenser, available from Tecan, for cellular membrane integrity (Figure 1). noncontact dispensing of test compound and the Tecan When the dye binds to DNA, green fluorescence is enhanced. Infinite® M200 PRO with Gas Control Module (GCM™) The signal intensity is directly correlated to the degree of for kinetic measurement of cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells change in the membrane integrity. The dye can be added at over 72 hours. the time of cell plating or compound treatment and the fluorescence monitored kinetically over a period of up to 72 Introduction hours. Alternatively, the dye can be added at the conclusion of compound treatment and an endpoint measurement taken. In vitro cytotoxicity is largely influenced by test article concentration and the exposure period with cells. The diversity of kinetic response can complicate conventional cytotoxicity endpoint assay determinations because most assay reagents are formulated to measure enzymatic biomarkers that are susceptible to time-dependent decay.

1 product News TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 5

Automated mass spectrometry sample preparation; the key to an efficient workflow

In recent years, monumental advances A wide range of protocols – ranging from the and enhancing productivity. For common MS have been made in mass spectrometry (MS) low complexity 'dilute and shoot' and protein sample preparation applications, the easy-to- instrumentation, but sample preparation has not crash methods used in toxicology workflows, use TouchTools™ interface places solutions enjoyed the same rate of development, making to the more complex solid phase (SPE), liquid- at customers’ fingertips, making automation it a major bottleneck in the laboratory workflow. liquid (LLE) extraction or protein purification/ easier than ever before. The issues associated with manual processing digestion techniques – are routinely used for have hindered the uptake of MS innovation in MS sample preparation. Automation of these To discover how automated MS sample the life science industry. To help overcome these processes is key to meeting the high throughput preparation is benefitting ADPEN Laboratories, limitations, Tecan offers Freedom EVO­-based and quality demands of customers. Tecan’s see pages 16-17. end-to-end­ process automation solutions for freely-configurable, automated extraction and even the most challenging sample preparation purification platforms eliminate manual errors, To find out more on Tecan’s MS sample protocols, liberating scientists from the tedium allowing staff to focus on downstream MS preparation solutions, visit of manual sample preparation. analysis, streamlining laboratory workflows www.tecan.com/lcms

Go configure! Receive a customized quote fast!

Customers can now plan and create over 100 configuration will fit, as well as quick and different designs of Cavro® Omni Robot using easy verification of the dimensions that Tecan’s new online graphical Cavro Omni might affect instrument design. Once the Robot Configurator. This straightforward, required specification has been selected, the web-based application – available for PCs Cavro Omni Robot Configurator generates a or iPads® – provides laboratory instrument complete parts list which can be printed or designers with a quick and easy way to e-mailed directly to the Tecan sales team explore the various options available for for a quote. the Cavro Omni Robot, helping to accelerate their product development. To build your Cavro Omni Robot now, go to www.tecan.com/cavroomniconfigurator The Cavro Omni Robot Configurator details the complete range of standard options for the Cavro Omni Robot, including the various axis sizes and arrangements, arm functions and liquid handling configurations, as well as a number of finishing features, such as covers and end caps. Users can generate an interactive 3D model of a selected Cavro Omni Robot specification that updates immediately as different options are chosen, and the image can be rotated on the screen to help visualize the finished robot from different perspectives. This provides engineers with a visual confirmation of how the selected 6 PRODUCT NEWS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Tecan Academy offers web-based training for new users

The recently launched Tecan Academy is already proving a valuable learning tool for Tecan customers in North America, helping to provide an overview of the capabilities of Tecan’s liquid handling systems and multimode readers.

Tecan’s new online training tool – the Tecan available to give her an introduction to the Academy – makes it easier than ever before system. The Tecan Academy was perfect for “It was really easy to use, for customers to optimize their instrument our needs, allowing Anne-Marie to cost- and was set at a good level use. Currently available in Europe, the USA effectively learn about the instrument at her and Canada, it provides the ideal bridge own pace.” for new users.” between an initial introduction in the laboratory and Tecan’s broad range of Anne-Marie added: “I completed both the in­-depth classroom training options, with Freedom EVO Operator and Absorbance new content continually being added as the Reader Operator training and certification Academy grows. modules, and found they gave a really useful overview. I use the Freedom EVO system every Customers from a number of sites across day, and the course is a nice tool to expand the USA are already benefitting from my knowledge, learning about the different the accessible training provided by the modules on the deck and why tasks are done Tecan Academy. The Open-Source Robotic a certain way within the software. Although Biorepository and Informatics Technology I do not use our Tecan absorbance reader (ORBIT) Program at the Aurora Research as part of my daily work, the training gave Institute in Milwaukee – part of Aurora me a good understanding of the system, Healthcare – was one of the first to take allowing me to help other users get the

advantage of this web-based portal. Natalie most out of the instrument. The layout of Natalie Polinske and Anne-Marie Baumhofer with Polinske, Manager of the ORBIT Program, both modules was easy to understand, and the Aurora Research Institute’s Freedom EVO explained: “We have had our Freedom EVO® the interactive aspects – simulating what workstations workstation since 2008, and I did a number you will see on your own system – were very of training courses at Tecan’s North Carolina good. I also appreciated that I could complete To find out more about the Tecan Academy facility when it was first introduced, which the training at my own pace, meaning that I or request a quote, visit I found very helpful. When a new member could use my time effectively on days when I www.tecan.com/academy of staff, Anne-Marie Baumhofer, joined the was not as busy in the laboratory.” laboratory, I looked at the training options Morgan Stoessel, a cooperative education student at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York State, also believes the Tecan Academy provides a good basic introduction to the Freedom EVO system: “When I first started using the platform, I spent a lot of time calling the Tecan helpdesk to understand how the instrument worked. They suggested that the Tecan Academy could be useful to give me an overview of the basics. It was really easy to use, and was set at a good level for new users. Having completed the course, I feel I can troubleshoot more easily, and can go back and re-check things in the module if I’m The Tecan Academy offered Morgan Stoessel a having any issues. Overall, I would say it’s Anne-Marie Baumhofer found the Tecan Academy useful introduction to the Freedom EVO really good for beginners.” easy to use CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 7 Automation helps to improve in situ hybridization protocols

The pathology laboratory at Shanghai’s Changhai Hospital has successfully evaluated Tecan’s HS 400™ Pro hybridization station for the analysis of breast and lung cancers.

Changhai Hospital in Shanghai, China, is a large general teaching hospital affiliated with the Second Military Medical University, Changhai Hospital is one of the top 100 national hospitals in China and has a long history of combining medical practice with teaching and scientific research. HER2-­negative breast cancers, and so there the hybridization time – in just 90 minutes Its pathology department receives between is a need to distinguish between these two using the HS 400 Pro, significantly increasing 80 and 90 samples a day from patients forms of the disease.” sample throughput. Normalization and suffering from lung, gastric, pancreatic, repeatability are improved, and the potential intestinal and breast cancers, generating “ISH techniques are commonly used to test the for manual errors is minimized, considerably more than 1,000 slides for histological HER2 status of breast cancers, and we wanted enhancing the quality control process.” testing. Mr Ni Chanrong, the Department’s to evaluate the application of an automated Technical Leader, Vice Chairman of the hybridization station to this work, enabling us to “We have also tested a number of lung cancer Technical Committee of the China Medical standardize and normalize our protocols. Tecan cases, and have been able to show that Association Pathology Branch, and Senior provided an HS 400 Pro for us to evaluate, which automation of our ISH protocols on the Specialist of the Quality and Control ICH we really appreciate. We investigated 10 HS 400 Pro is an effective alternative to Group affiliated to the Ministry of Health of cases of breast carcinoma, five HER2-positive manual hybridization techniques for both the People's Republic of China, is responsible and five HER2-­negative. Sections of diseases. We are now planning to expand for the hospital’s in situ hybridization (ISH) paraffin­-embedded tissues were prepared the sample size and carry out further studies project, focusing on the detection of breast and stained with hematoxylin and eosin to to determine the optimal hybridization carcinomas and lung cancers. He discussed clearly define the location of the tumor, then conditions,” Mr Ni concluded. the Department’s recent evaluation of the dewaxed and dehydrated, and uploaded HS 400 Pro hybridization station: “Breast to the HS 400 Pro for processing. DIG- and To find out more about Tecan’s microarray cancers can be categorized as either HER2- fluorescently­-labeled probes were diluted 1:40 solutions, visit www.tecan.com/microarray negative or HER2-positive.­ Herceptin® – also with hybridization buffer, and hybridization known as trastuzumab – is an effective was performed at 37 °C for 12 hours.” To find out more about Changhai Hospital, treatment for HER2­-positive early stage visit www.smmu.edu.cn/english/SMMU_ breast cancers and metastatic breast cancers, Mr Ni continued: “The HS 400 Pro gives very Hospital_chhai.htm prolonging the survival time of these good, stable test results; the results obtained patients. However, it is not effective against were consistent with those obtained using manual hybridization at 37 °C for 18 hours. It is easy to use – both system operation “Automation of our and program definition were simple to ISH protocols on the learn – and it took just two days to establish protocols for our work. The system’s agitation HS 400 Pro is an effective hybridization technology increases the alternative to manual effectiveness of hybridization and helps us hybridization techniques to reduce the concentration of probes used, improving efficiency enormously. We can for both diseases.” complete an ISH test that would take about Mr Ni demonstrates the use of the HS 400 Pro four hours to perform manually – excluding hybridization station 8 READERS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Shining a light on novel cancer drugs

Researchers at the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center are benefitting from the flexibility and user-friendly design of the Infinite® 200 PRO multimode reader, and have developed a unique cell migration assay to help identify novel biotherapeutics for the treatment of glioblastoma.

The Lyon Neuroscience Research Center for performing this type of investigation are (Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de laborious and time consuming, requiring Lyon, CRNL) is a multidisciplinary facility complex cell handling and fluorescence bringing together expertise from across microscopy techniques. We wanted to academia, industry and clinical research to develop a more automated technique that provide a greater understanding of brain would allow higher throughput. We began function and disease. Created in 2011, the looking at microplate-based assays using CRNL investigates a wide range of basic FluoroBlok™ cell culture inserts and, as a very cognitive functions – including sleep new center, we had the advantage of being cycles, olfactory processes, nociception, able to choose a microplate reader to suit our auditory cognition and memory – as well as assay requirements.” neurological disorders and diseases, such as Human squamous epithelial carcinoma cells epilepsy and cancer. “It was vital for the system to have bottom reading optics for the cell migration Dr Emmanuel Sotirakis, a researcher in assay, and sensitivity was also a major the CRNL’s neuro-oncology and neuro- consideration. We looked at multimode inflammation group, explained: “We readers from several manufacturers, and have a very strong interaction between the Infinite 200 PRO seemed the best match academic research, clinical research and for our needs. We also wanted a system industry, gathering expertise from across capable of performing everything from basic different research environments to better colorimetric or fluorimetric measurements understand brain-related functions and to ELISAs and rapid kinetic assays. All of our diseases. Within my group, we are strongly cell-based assays use the system’s focused on translational research, working temperature control function to avoid closely with local hospitals and drug causing unnecessary stress to the cells during discovery companies to try and develop new data acquisition. We also use the injector The Infinite 200 PRO is helping research into the treatment of glioblastoma therapeutic agents which will improve the module for a number of kinetic studies, prognosis of glioblastoma patients. This particularly calcium signaling assays.” type of malignant tumor is very aggressive, and there is currently a lack of effective “For the cell migration assay using the therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes FluoroBlok inserts, we have been able to for these patients.” achieve very good results for both dye-stained and GFP-tagged cell lines, “We work closely with a local industry partner thanks to the system’s excellent signal-to- that specializes in drug discovery for cancers. noise ratio and adjustable z-focus. A single We develop a range of assays to characterize 96-well plate can be scanned in under two the effect of these novel therapeutics on minutes, minimizing the time the cells glioma cells, and one of the studies we spend out of the incubator. Alternatively, for were interested in performing was a cell experiments where the maximum signal migration assay. Traditional manual methods output is unknown, we can perform multiple DRUG DISCOVERY TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 9

acquisitions for each well at varying gain statistical analysis for more settings, then identify the optimal gain advanced users. Data security is also setting once the experiment is complete. This an important consideration, as we work is a great time-saving feature, and still takes with a number of industrial partners, and less then five minutes for a 96-well plate.” the ability to control access and permissions gives us complete peace of mind. Finally, the “Because we needed a system that could be support of Tecan’s applications team has used across multiple projects, flexibility was been a real benefit. When we first looked at a key factor, and my colleagues have been investing in a reader, our local representative very happy with the versatility and ease-of- was very helpful in ensuring we got the best use of the Tecan instrument. The system’s system for our needs, and the Tecan team dual software packages are also well suited has always been available to answer our to our needs. i-control™ allows rapid data questions and provide expert support for acquisition and export, while Magellan™ specific applications.” provides advanced data interpretation and To find out more on Tecan’s Infinite 200 PRO, visit www.tecan.com/infinite200pro “Data security is also an important consideration... To learn more about CRNL, go to crnl.univ-lyon1.fr the ability to control access and permissions gives us peace of mind.” 10 VETERINARY TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Pushing back boundaries with ultra-low volume pipetting

The Novartis Animal Health Research Center has invested in an automated compound logistics system to aid drug discovery, taking advantage of the exceptional pipetting capabilities of the MultiChannel Arm™ 384.

Vincent Beuret with the Center’s Freedom EVO system

The Novartis Animal Health Research Center Freedom EVO 150 to a second liquid handling “We can pipette down to in Saint-Aubin, Switzerland, is engaged in platform, a Freedom EVO 200 equipped with 0.1 µl of compound with developing anti-parasitic and therapeutic an MCA 384, allowing plates to be transferred products for veterinary use. The Company has between the workstations. Each Freedom EVO a CV of 10 %, which is automated picking, distribution and dissolution platform is controlled independently by impressive.” of compounds on a Freedom EVO® system, Tecan’s Freedom EVOware® software, which enabling the pre-discovery screening group gives us the option to use either platform in to benefit from the extremely low volume isolation if necessary.” pipetting offered by the MultiChannel Arm 384 (MCA 384). Scientist Vincent Beuret “Mother solutions – 10 mg/ml or 10,000 ppm explained: "Our group screens potential solutions in DMSO of all the compounds candidates against a range of parasites, such that we are interested in – are pre-selected as filarial and gastric parasites, fleas, ticks for screening tests. The chosen mother and flies, and tests hundreds of thousands solutions are stored in the Kiwi unit until of compounds a year. The initial in vitro needed, then transferred to the testing allows us to determine whether a Freedom EVO 150, where the LiHa prepares compound is active on a particular parasite, 96­-well daughter plates containing suitable and to get an indication of the dose that is dilutions of these compounds. The Te-­Link required. We can then pre-select suitable module moves the daughter plates across to candidates to undergo further studies to the Freedom EVO 200, where the MCA 384 establish the activity and toxicity in vivo. allows us to generate 96- and 384-well test To help with this work, a new automated plates, according to the size of the parasite. compound logistics system was installed last This is an important stage, as we are often year. A Freedom EVO 150 platform with an pipetting extremely small volumes of eight-channel Liquid Handling (LiHa) Arm is compound; we can pipette down to 0.1 µl linked to a customized LiCONic StoreX Kiwi of compound with a CV of 10 %, which TubeStore. A Te­-Link™ module connects the is impressive.” VETERINARY TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 11

Vincent continued: “I attended a Tecan “To perform such low volume pipetting, we option to move to 384­-well plates in the training course for the MCA, and this helped initially draw up 4.9 µl of media, followed by future. This would save time, as we could me to establish the best parameters for 0.1 µl of compound, and then dispense the transfer compounds from daughter plates to different liquid classes and find the ideal entire 5 µl volume so that the media flushes 384-well test plates in one procedure, rather settings for reproducible, accurate pipetting.” the entire compound from the tip. We noticed than the current four-step protocol. The latest differences in the results depending on the edition of Freedom EVOware is also a real media used, and optimized our procedures step forward for us; it is very robust, and we to account for this. We discovered that can certainly see the benefits of 10 years of optimal pipetting quality is achieved when development.” water containing a small percentage (0.05 %) of Tween 20 is used. This also Vincent concluded: “We receive good support promotes greater interaction between the from Tecan, and are very happy with the candidate compounds and the parasite, implementation of the compound logistics further enhancing assay performance.” system, as well as how the project has progressed; it is always nice when you find “We were able to move from our old Tecan something that works well, and that lasts system directly to the new platform without a long time without the need for constant The Novartis team has achieved reliable pipetting a break in our screening investigations. As the modifications. It is really nice to know that down to 0.1 µl using the MCA 384 LiHa handles the largest volumes of mother your work is going to last.” solution, which is where there is the greatest risk of contamination, its liquid displacement To find out more on Tecan’s MCA 384, visit “The lastest edition of the pipetting system is important, giving us the www.tecan.com/mca384 Freedom EVOware is also a capability to thoroughly flush the system. The MCA 384 was chosen for its flexibility; To find out more about Novartis Animal real step forward for us.” although we use 96-well daughter plates Health, visit www.ah.novartis.com at the moment, with the MCA we have the 12 OEM COMPONENTS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Enhancing clinical diagnostics

Turkish company Zivak Technologies develops analytical kits and instrumentation for use in the food, healthcare and environmental sectors, and relies on Tecan’s Cavro® Omni Robot for its automated HPLC and LC-­MSMS systems.

Zivak Technologies, based in Istanbul, appropriate dose of immunosuppressant Turkey, was established with the principal drugs; patients may wait years before a aim of developing and manufacturing donor is found, and it is vital to administer assay kits targeted at commonly measured the correct dose to minimize the chance analytes in the clinical diagnostics, food, of an organ being rejected. Obtaining environmental and forensic arenas, as well rapid, accurate results is crucial, and the as the production of HPLC and LC-MSMS hospitals needed an automated mass instrumentation for assay automation. spectrometry­-based method for monitoring Analytical precision and ease of use are immunosuppressants. When the level of key customer requirements, and the immunosuppressant in a patient’s blood incorporation of the Cavro Omni Robot plays is monitored by immunoassay, it may be an important role in achieving this. Mr Avni two or three hours before the result is Çavdar, President of Zivak, explained: “Our available. The consequence of this is that any Company was approached by several medication prescribed is based on the level large government hospitals in Turkey of immunosuppressant present several hours that perform a great many organ previously, and this may have changed. If the transplants. It is important assay also has a high error, this has a huge that organ recipients are impact on the medication prescribed and, monitored frequently potentially, on the success of the transplant.” to ensure that they receive the Mr Çavdar continued: “Historically, HPLC and LC-MS have not been used in clinical diagnostics, and there are a number of reasons for this: it must be possible to run the instrument 24 hours a day; a great deal of sample preparation is necessary; and the interpretation of the results, particularly for LC­-MSMS, requires highly trained scientific staff. In 2005, when the pharma industry was specifying a results bias of ±0.1 %, the clinical diagnostics field was working to a bias of ±25 to 30 %, and we foresaw a future for the gold standard techniques of HPLC and LC-MS. In addition to validated assay kits and reagents, we decided to develop and manufacture automated LC and LC-MSMS analyzers for the clinical diagnostics market.”

“Hospitals need straightforward clinical analyzers that simply require the samples – blood, plasma, serum or urine – to be loaded, and then automatically carry out all the preparation and analysis, generating MASS SPECTROMETRY TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 13

Kübra Balyemez shows how the Cavro Omni Robot has been incorporated into Zivak’s 25-OH Vitamin D2-D3 HPLC Analyzer

results in a user-friendly format that confirms modules. Reliability and accuracy are crucial. like. This gave us the confidence to build whether a patient sample is positive or Thousands of analyses were performed prior a relationship with Tecan, and to adopt negative, and that control samples are within to going to market to ensure the robustness the Cavro Omni Robot for our automated limits. To enable the sample preparation and accuracy of the analyzers, and we have systems,” concluded Mr Çavdar. stages to be performed, we needed to demonstrated errors as low as 1 %.” integrate a precise and reliable liquid To find out more about Tecan’s handling system – the Cavro Omni Robot. Cavro Omni Robot, visit Combining the Cavro Omni Robot with “The Tecan staff are very www.tecan.com/omnirobot our technologies – including PC-controlled honest and open, which vortexers and centrifuges, online SPE and is important because it is To learn more about Zivak Technologies, shaker/heater units, as well as in-house visit www.zivak.com developed software – has enabled us to the people that show you produce a series of fully automated HPLC and what a company and its LC-MSMS based analyzers that can measure management are like.” 25-OH metabolites of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3, immunosuppressants, amino acids and organic acids in minutes, rather than the “When you plan to develop a lot of things, hours that may be required for other assay you recognize that you will be spending types. The Cavro Omni Robot is very versatile, large sums of money, and you have to offering flexible sample handling for up to know that you are working with a company 180 samples per run, and can accommodate that you can trust. The Tecan staff are a range of different sample formats, from very honest and open, which is important vacutubes and vials to microplates, as well because it is the people that show you as allowing us to integrate a variety of what a company and its management are 14 Drug Discovery TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Boosting drug discovery with efficient transfection technology

The Life Sciences Laboratory of the Central Research Institute at Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha Ltd has used Tecan’s Freedom EVO® 200 workstation to develop a successful automated protocol for efficient siRNA transfection, paving the way for efficient high throughput screening of small RNA libraries.

Dr Lin Bangzhong and Ms Tomona Yamaguchi with the Freedom EVO 200

introduction. The core technology of this immune cell strains, particularly primary “Automation has allowed product range is a new type of non-viral culture T-cells and B-cells, can now be vector that uses the cell membrane fusion transfected, and many GenomONE users us to significantly activity of envelope membrane components have reported success with cell types widen our products' from the hemagglutinating virus of Japan that they could not transfect using applications, and we have (HVJ). The genome of the virus has been other methods, such as lipofection completely inactivated while still maintaining and electroporation. By successfully now started larger scale the viral envelope’s ability to introduce its transfecting the desired substances in investigations.” contents directly into target cells. Various appropriate amounts and still keeping the physiologically active substances can be put cells in good condition, the HVJ-E method into this envelope for transfection into cells. gives investigators a smooth progression Under the theme ‘science to protect life’, towards in vivo experimental stages.” Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha Ltd in Osaka, Japan, “My work involves optimizing a transfection conducts research and development of system for siRNA using the HVJ Envelope The team, again in association with Osaka bio-reagents that contribute to progress in (HVJ-E) vector,” explained Ms Tomona University, has now successfully developed an medical and life sciences. Working jointly Yamaguchi, research scientist at the Central automated HVJ-E transfection and functional with Professor Yasufumi Kaneda of Osaka Research Institute. “We have developed assessment system using a Freedom EVO 200 University and the university’s venture reagents and protocols specialized for liquid handling platform and Infinite® M1000 enterprise, the Company has developed siRNA, and have had considerable success microplate reader, as Ms Yamaguchi described: GenomONE™, a series of unique kits for with various cells that have, until now, “We started in January 2013, performing a series transfection, cell fusion and IgG antibody been difficult to transfect; non-adherent of experiments to confirm that we could Drug Discovery TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 15

reproduce the results from manual in the skill of the experimenter, and the processing and, by March, we had established potential for human error. I was particularly an optimized automated test system.” impressed by the way the Freedom EVO transfers plates; the movement is really Dr Bangzhong Lin of Osaka University Office smooth and there is very little vibration. for University-Industry Collaboration programmed Using the Freedom EVO has halved the and operated the Freedom EVO 200. He processing time, plus we have increased commented: “For a high throughput the number of assay plates we are able screening (HTS) protocol such as this, it was to process, which was limited by manual essential to perform automated dispensing handling. The quantity of consumables we operations under sterile conditions, and this use has also been reduced by our automated was made possible with the installation of protocol. Automation has allowed us Ms Tomona Yamaguchi and Dr Fuminori Kato a HEPA filter with an integrated incubator to significantly widen our products’ and Carousel HS™. It was also critical that applications, and we have now started larger combining GenomONE with the automation minute volumes of two types of solutions scale investigations, including screening of the Freedom EVO, we have been able to were mixed within each well of a 96-well large siRNA libraries for candidate molecules demonstrate HTS of immune cells for the plate. This was achieved by a combination that may become drug discovery targets. I first time. We anticipate that the GenomONE of the precise positioning of the pipetting certainly aim to use the Freedom EVO again series and Freedom EVO 200 will make a tips during dispensing using both a Liquid in future projects, whenever automation great contribution towards the research of Handling Arm and a MultiChannel Arm™ 96, could potentially play a part.” this quickly expanding group of biological and by expelling the droplets at high speed. molecules, as well as propelling applied Following incubation, the Infinite M1000 Dr Fuminori Kato, general manager at the research in the field of medical diagnosis.” was used for quantitative colorimetric Central Research Institute, added: “With the assessment of cell growth.” advent of techniques like next generation To find out more on Tecan’s genomic sequencing, it has become possible to solutions, visit www.tecan.com/genomics Ms Yamaguchi highlighted the benefits detect and identify small RNAs that were of switching from manual operation: not previously known, suggesting that To find out more about Ishihara Sangyo “Automation has eliminated both the many more original small RNAs are still Kaisha Ltd, visit variability in the results caused by differences to be discovered in the near future. By www.iskweb.co.jp/eng/index.html

What is HVJ-E? *HVJ; Hemagglutinating Virus of Japan (Sendai virus)

Inactivation Cell fusion using HVJ-E! Purification About 60 mins HVJ HVJ Envelope (HVJ-E)

Reagent D siRNA, etc. Reagent E

Status of Incorporation Enhanced affinity to Transfection leaky envelope cell membrane

Standard process for small RNA transfection using HVJ-E cell membrane

The Freedom EVO has enabled the Company to optimize a transfection system for siRNA using the HVJ Envelope vector (schematic provided by Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha Ltd) 16 MASS SPECTROMETRY TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Meeting the high throughput demands of mass spectrometry sample preparation

Independent contract research organization ADPEN Laboratories specializes in residue analysis, and has invested in a Freedom EVO® 100 liquid handling platform for mass spectrometry sample preparation.

ADPEN Laboratories, based in Jacksonville, the water supply. This involved analyzing “When we saw the Freedom EVO, all the pieces Florida, USA, provides advanced analytical several hundred surface and drinking of the puzzle came together; we knew that it services to the pharmaceutical, agrochemical water samples each week, which required was a viable option for us,” Steven continued. and food safety industries, working with turnaround times of less than 10 days. The “Tecan’s long history of automation, combined multinational companies, government and biggest bottleneck in the entire workflow with the Freedom EVO’s accuracy and international organizations worldwide. In was sample preparation; pipetting samples flexibility, was ideal. Initially the client was 2003, the Company undertook a large-scale into a 96-well plate for analysis by mass hesitant, believing that an analyst would be water monitoring study requiring automated spectrometry is very time consuming. To more careful and do a better job. However, sample preparation, as Steven Perez, resolve this issue we needed to automate the we ran many method trials to test the Laboratory Manager, explained: “ADPEN was sample preparation process, and required a system’s robustness and validate the platform, contracted to analyze between 10,000 and liquid handling platform that could pipette successfully demonstrating that automation 15,000 samples from agriculturally sensitive consistently, accurately and reproducibly, on the Freedom EVO was as good as, or better areas across the US where there is concern saving time and freeing staff to perform than, manual procedures. Reproducibility was about run-off from the fields contaminating other tasks.” excellent – relative standard deviations of less

The ADPEN team with the Freedom EVO. Left to right; Joshua Kaster, Olga Almaraz, Adelaida LaRosa, Steven Perez, Santina Bryant, Giuseppe Franseze, Melisa Marshall MASS SPECTROMETRY TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 17

than 5 % were achieved – and the need for absolutely essential when performing residue samples to be re-extracted­ due to spurious analysis at levels as low as parts per trillion by “When we saw the results was all but eliminated. The client was liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, very happy with the results, approving the as even trace amounts of a compound will Freedom EVO, all the use of the platform for the study, and so we be detected. Despite this, we were able to pieces of the puzzle purchased a Freedom EVO 100 with a four­ use stainless steel, rather than disposable, came together.” channel Liquid Handling Arm, which we use tips for this project due to the efficiency with Teflon-coated stainless steel tips. The of the tip washing. Including four-second system is controlled by Freedom EVOware®, wash steps into our protocols proved very with the optional TouchTools™ interface.” effective; carry-over is not an issue, allowing away. It is just so easy. We always knew us to use septa – rather than solid – vial caps, that automation was going to be very good “To prevent microbial activity which may which is a major benefit. The tips pierce the for us, and would improve productivity, cause any residue to diminish, samples septa, allowing an aliquot of the sample to we just needed to demonstrate it to the are collected in vials containing sodium be withdrawn and transferred to the correct client. The Freedom EVO did a great job; it omadine solution, which we prepare on the location in a 96-­well plate, and the septa just sailed through all the trials, and has Freedom EVO. We know that if the client reseal as the tip is removed. We no longer alleviated the sample preparation bottleneck, requests 3,000 vials by a particular date, it need to spend time uncapping and recapping reducing turnaround times from 20 days can be done very easily; the analyst just starts vials and, as the sample is always sealed, to less than 10 days. We can now do twice the method and leaves the Freedom EVO to the potential for cross-contamination with as many sample sets in a day, significantly prepare 500 vials of preservative. The sample another substance is effectively eliminated, increasing throughput and helping to reduce preparation process itself is also quite which is paramount.” turnaround times and increase productivity. simple. Samples, blanks and calibration curve The Freedom EVO just works flawlessly,” standards are pipetted into 96­-well plates “The Freedom EVOware software is concluded Steven. and 100 µl of internal standard is added. quite intuitive, enabling methods to be Although we currently pipette microliter easily modified, and gives us confidence To find out more about Tecan’s LC-MS volumes, the Freedom EVO gives us the that the Freedom EVO will accurately sample preparation solutions, visit flexibility to dispense precisely up to one and reproducibly do exactly what it is www.tecan.com/lcms milliliter as our requirements change.” programmed to do every single time. TouchTools is great too; the analyst simply To find out more about ADPEN Laboratories, “The elimination of sample carry-over is selects the method, starts the run and walks visit www.adpen.com 18 DRUG DISCOVERY TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Removing the constraints of manual dose-response assays

The Stanford Genome Technology Center has invested in an HP D300 Digital Dispenser to study the effects of small molecule chemical inhibitors in yeast, enabling more experiments to be carried out more easily, and in less time.

The Stanford Genome Technology Center that may be useful tools for studying cell to cellular metabolism – are conserved. For (SGTC) in Palo Alto, California, USA, focuses biology or have the potential to be developed example, some cancer drugs, which target on developing genomic technologies into a drug, as well as new druggable specific proteins in tumor cells, target the and innovative techniques to address targets – proteins within the cell that are same proteins in yeast cells. There are also important biological questions. Performing amenable to inhibition by small molecules. experimental tools that are available in yeast, yeast functional genomics studies allows Yeast is very easy to culture and grows quite but not in other systems. We have a knock- the Center to investigate the effects of rapidly, making it ideal for our investigations; out strain for each and every gene in yeast, small molecule chemical inhibitors, as a lot of experiments can be performed and the effects of small molecules on all of Bob St. Onge, a Senior Research Scientist that would take considerably more time these strains can be examined. The strains at SGTC, explained: “Our goals include the to carry out in a human cell system, and can be assayed individually, or collectively as identification of new chemical inhibitors many pathways – especially those related a pool of knock-out strains in a single culture.

Research Assistant Sundari Suresh using the SGTC’s HP D300 DRUG DISCOVERY TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 19

Instead of looking at individual targets or combinations. Every laboratory is limited to processes, we can essentially look at all some degree by staffing levels, time and cost, potential targets simultaneously, getting a and an instrument like the HP D300 lets you better idea of what is really going on. This is perform experiments so much more rapidly; particularly important when small molecules we can set up ten 384-well assay plates and “We have performed are studied, as even the most specific obtain the results the next day, freeing up experiments that we compounds often have multiple effects on time to do other things. As the experiments the cell.” are now much easier to do, we do a lot more wouldn’t otherwise of them, looking at the effects of specific have done, and those “Yeast has a short doubling time, and we drugs and strains either individually or in experiments have can do many experiments very quickly, combination. I can say with certainty that testing large numbers of chemical inhibitors we have performed experiments that we actually led to some very against many strains by performing growth wouldn’t otherwise have done, and that interesting results.” assays in suspension cultures in 48-, 96- those experiments have actually led to some and 384-well plates. To help with this work, very interesting results.” we recently purchased an HP D300 Digital Dispenser, which enables us to take full “The HP D300 is also very intuitive; we advantage of the yeast system. It is perfect were shown how to use it one day, and for our experiments, allowing us to dispense were setting up our own experiments the compounds directly into yeast culture plates, next; very little training was needed as the which are then assayed in microplate readers. software is so user friendly. The instrument We have several Tecan Sunrise™ and GENios™ is in use almost every day now and, in fact, readers, and these play an important role the main challenge for us is to build the in our studies, acting as yeast incubators informatics tools needed to keep track of, and and enabling us to monitor growth in real analyze, all the new data we have generated,” time over the course of one or two days, concluded Bob. measuring and quantifying the effects of candidate compounds very precisely.” To find out more about Tecan’s HP D300 Digital Dispenser, visit Bob continued: “The HP D300 removes the www.tecan.com/digitaltitration technical burdens and constraints involved in manually setting up dose-response assays, To find out more about the making it very simple to plan and dispense Stanford Genome the exact drug concentrations required, Technology Center, visit which really opens up new experimental www.med.stanford.edu/sgtc options. It is easy enough to manually test a particular drug at a certain concentration range, but looking at ten different drugs and a variety of different strains is a pretty big investment in experimental planning and pipetting, especially when studying drug 20 TECAN INTEGRATION GROUP TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Novartis embraces full automation

Basel-based Novartis Pharma AG has completed a year-long collaboration with the Tecan Integration Group, developing a fully automated Freedom EVO®-based system for antibody formulation screening.

In 2007, as part of the FDA Quality by sample preparation platform is equipped Design initiative, the Biologics Section of with an eight-channel Liquid Handling Arm Novartis Pharma AG in Switzerland created and a MultiChannel Arm™ (MCA) 96, as well an automation laboratory to prepare and as a Robotic Manipulator (RoMa) Arm for screen antibody formulations, meeting the maneuvering plates. A RoMa Arm on the “Working with TIG was high throughput demands of its analytical logistics platform enables transfer of 96-well fantastic… an interesting, workload. Principal Scientist Olivier Graf sample plates via a Te-Link™­ module to explained: “To cope with the ever-increasing the sample preparation workstation for really nice collaboration.” sample numbers, we had two options; dilution, or to the analytical instruments introduce automation, or outsource the for analysis. Integrated third-party­ modules analysis to an external service provider. – including barcode readers, a high speed We chose automation, giving us full control thermoshaker, a shaker-incubator, a capper/ of our data, and speeding up sample decapper, a plate sealer, a centrifuge, and preparation, integration and delivery of a plate hotel – enable complex preparation results to our clients. Automation is more methods involving digestion, reduction cost-effective and avoids the need to transfer and alkylation to be performed. For sample methods to an external company, which analysis, the system incorporates a UV/Vis can be complicated and time consuming, spectrophotometer for quantification of particularly if different chromatographic proteins, a dynamic light scattering system data systems are in use.” for protein characterization, a capillary electrophoresis instrument, and five HPLCs. “We began collaborating with the Tecan The entire set-up is controlled by Tecan’s Integration Group (TIG) around mid-2010, and Pegasus software package. the project took about a year to complete. We already knew which analytical Associate Scientist Sébastien Heitz continued: instruments and modules we needed to “We already had a Freedom EVO 200 liquid incorporate, and that our techniques were handling platform, which was chosen for working well, but integrating everything its capability to handle RoboColumns® into the system was still a considerable (Atoll) and increase the speed of the sample technical challenge. We needed a system purification process. We receive antibody that was as compact as possible, with error suspensions in BD FalconTM tubes, purify them handling systems, macros that start the on this workstation using RoboColumns with chromatographic data systems automatically, Protein A, and then transfer them to our and data management capabilities; the customized system for all the subsequent robotics and third-party devices required steps. The antibody solutions may or may made the system really complex. The TIG not be formulated, or may contain excipients proposal was straightforward, incorporating such as sucrose or trehalose, and the sample all the third-party instruments and concentrations will also vary. This affects the integrating them with the Tecan software.” viscosity of the solution. To address this issue, the new system has specialized liquid classes Novartis chose a customized solution for our protocols. Working at maximum consisting of two Freedom EVO 200 capacity, we carry out either one run of 192 systems coupled back-to-back, one samples or two runs of 96 samples in one dedicated to liquid handling for sample week, depending on the run time of the preparation, the other to logistics. The analytical method.” TECAN INTEGRATION GROUP TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 21

Olivier added: “Pre-automation, we were “Working with TIG was fantastic. The limited by the number of samples we could team was really receptive to any last- handle. Fully automating our processes minute changes, implementing these very has allowed us to carry out all the projects quickly, and the software programmer in house in preference to outsourcing the was always highly proactive. It was all very work, with significant cost savings. We straightforward, a really interesting and nice have employed additional staff, who focus collaboration. With Tecan, we accomplished on data interpretation rather than time- our big challenge; developing a customized, consuming manual pipetting and loading fully automated platform that does samples onto instruments, and can deal everything we need,” concluded Olivier. with even the smallest requests from our customers. Automation has also streamlined To find out more about Tecan’s customized and simplified mobile phase preparation; solutions, visit www.tecan.com/tig instead of several analysts preparing the same mobile phase for different instruments, To find out more about Novartis, visit scientists simply request sample analysis and www.novartis.com/innovation/research- the results are available the next day.” development/index.shtml

The Novartis team with its customized solution for antibody formulation screening. Left to right; Olivier Graf, Sébastien Heitz, Vanessa Seyfried, Sabine Dehm, Kim-Sarah Schneider, Gilles Thoma 22 BIOMATERIALS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 New possibilities for biological surfaces research

Two Freedom EVO® 200 workstations are helping researchers at McMaster University’s Biointerfaces Institute to investigate novel biomaterials and biointerfaces. The Institute’s high throughput, multi­-faceted approach is borrowed from the pharmaceutical industry, and relies on the flexibility and modularity of its Tecan workstations.

Director of the Institute and Canada based analysis is performed using either Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry an Infinite® M1000 microplate reader or and Biointerfaces, described their approach: LS Reloaded™ microarray scanner, both of “We first looked at using high throughput which are integrated into the workstation. ‘pharmaceutical research’ techniques in Hits from the high throughput screening are 2007, and couldn’t believe that nobody was then investigated downstream with more applying this approach to the development data-rich, medium throughput imaging of biomaterials and biointerfaces. You begin methods, including X-ray photoelectron by screening many materials, followed spectroscopy, MALDI mass spectroscopy, by detailed analyses on positive results surface plasmon resonance and infra-red or ‘hits’, to give a better understanding of spectroscopy. The other platform is geared why a particular interaction occurred. This towards nanoparticle-based formulation downstream analysis – using techniques and synthesis, and uses specially configured The Biointerfaces Institute at McMaster such as advanced fluorescence imaging, liquid handling tools that can work with University in Hamilton, Canada, is a state- mass spectrometry and solid­-state nuclear viscous solutions, nanoparticle suspensions, of-the-art facility offering large-scale magnetic resonance spectroscopy – is vital. and other non-conventional liquids. The screening and characterization of biologically Putting this approach into practice meant Freedom EVO 200 is used in tandem with active surfaces and biomaterials. Officially creating a multi­disciplinary team with a fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) opened in April 2013, the Institute uses expertise in all these interconnected fields, for selecting nanoparticles with interesting high throughput screening techniques and and this was the founding principle of the properties. This set-up gives us detailed advanced characterization methods more Biointerfaces Institute. We then looked at information on surface chemistry, particle commonly found in the pharmaceutical the best way to create an efficient, high size and distribution, and elemental industry, and was created to exploit this throughput workflow and decided on composition of surfaces.” multi-faceted approach for the development two main technologies; microarrays and of new biomaterials and biologically nanoparticles. As both of these technologies derivatized surfaces. Dr John Brennan, are fairly labor intensive, we needed “Tecan is the only specialized automated platforms that company able to offer this would enable us to achieve the necessary throughput to really move forward with our level of configurability.” surface chemistry investigations.”

The Institute chose a pair of Freedom EVO 200 Dr Fred Capretta, Associate Professor of platforms as the foundations of its research, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, explained taking advantage of the instruments’ why the Institute chose the Freedom EVO modular design and open architecture to workstations to automate its workflow: develop flexible, high throughput solutions. “Within the team we had previous experience John explained: “Our Freedom EVO with virtually every supplier of laboratory workstations lie at the heart of everything automation equipment, and there were we do; each platform provides walkaway two main factors that made Tecan our first automation of liquid handling and primary choice of supplier. Firstly, the Tecan team was analysis. The microarray-based platform very willing to customize the instruments is set up for front-end assays and high to exactly meet our requirements, creating throughput screening in microplate or systems that perfectly matched our workflow. The Biointerfaces Institute’s approach relies on microarray formats. Preliminary fluorescence- The Company is well known for being able to the flexibility of its Freedom EVO platforms BIOMATERIALS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 23

Automation provides the high throughput necessary for effective characterization of biomaterials successfully integrate all kinds of third-party the instrument. We are now beginning novel applications. This flexibility is just as devices onto its systems, and we were keen to explore the advanced settings within important as throughput as the workstations to take advantage of this flexibility. The deck Freedom EVOware, setting up the different are a communal resource that will potentially of our synthesis workstation has also been liquid classes and customizing the pipetting be used by 20 or 30 different research groups, modified to accommodate METTLER TOLEDO functions, and this is already proving helpful and Tecan is the only company able to offer MiniBlocks®, allowing us to use tubes as well for our development of new sol-gel derived this level of configurability.” as microplates and microarray supports.” materials, which are very sensitive to a range of conditions; ionic strength, pH, water-to- To find out more on Tecan’s liquid “Secondly, the user-friendly Freedom EVOware® silica ratio and humidity.” handling solutions, visit www.tecan.com/ software allows complicated experiments liquidhandling to be set up relatively quickly and left to “The precision and control offered by run unattended on the Freedom EVO. This automation will be critical for synthesis To find out more about the Biointerfaces is very important for our work, giving us the condition screening, helping us to Institute, visit biointerfaces.mcmaster.ca ability to perform complicated manipulations systematically work across a wide variety of and precisely control the pipetting and reaction parameters to discover effects of immobilization of many different types combinations of conditions,” John concluded. of molecules – including proteins, DNA, “The Freedom EVOs’ modularity also makes small molecules, polymers and viscous them easily reconfigurable to perform a precursor solutions – directly onto substrates number of different procedures, allowing that are also manipulated on the deck of us to quickly set up the workstations for 24 FORENSICS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 A turnkey solution for forensic identification Genia Geo has chosen Tecan’s HID EVOlution™ system as part of its comprehensive forensic identification services for governments around the world. This one-stop solution encompasses everything from designing and building laboratories to training crime scene investigators and judges, and revolves around Tecan and Life Technologies’ fully validated, walkaway set-up for robust genetic identification.

Dr Carlos Azambuja, President of GENIA

Dr Carlos Azambuja, President of GENIA

GENIA, based in Montevideo, Uruguay, has been at the forefront of genetic testing in Latin America for over 20 years. Originally specializing in the health and agricultural Alejandra Torres is one of the scientists benefitting from Tecan's automated solutions markets, the GENIA group created Genia Geo in 2012 to establish forensic identification services for governments around the world. and DNA databases – as well as training of from police personnel and prisoners, as well Dr Carlos Azambuja, President of GENIA, staff at every level, from the police officers as researching new forensics technologies explained: “Genia Geo was set up to provide collecting the evidence, right through to the – and two regional laboratories for crime government entities, such as Ministries of magistrates who will be presented with the scene analysis in Guarenas and Barinas. We the Interior or of Justice, with everything results in a court.” looked at the available options for sample necessary to implement a national system processing and sequencing, and decided that for DNA-based forensic identification. This “The first project of this type is currently a completely integrated solution was the best includes not only the design, construction being implemented in Venezuela, working match for our customers' needs.” and furnishing of genetic sequencing with the Ministry of Science and Technology laboratories, but also all of the ancillary and the CICPC (Cuerpo de Investigaciones Genia Geo chose Tecan’s HID EVOlution services – such as local forensic investigation Científicas Penales y Criminalísticas) to system for all three laboratories. This set-up units, national sample logistics systems create a national system for DNA-based combines a Freedom EVO® workstation with human identification as part of the Bolivar­ an Applied Biosystems® 7500 Real-Time PCR “Tecan’s regional Artigas agreement signed between the System and 3130xl Genetic Analyzer Uruguayan and Venezuelan governments. (Life Technologies), offering a validated representatives were Working with internationally renowned automation solution that has been optimized extremely supportive… so Uruguayan architects Carlos Ott and Carlos for human identification applications. Carlos we felt very comfortable Ponce de León, we are building three DNA continued: “Although we did not have processing facilities; a high throughput previous experience with Tecan equipment, with our choice.” center at the IDEA Institute in Caracas – the HID EVOlution represented a fully which will be processing reference samples integrated, walkaway processing system that FORENSICS TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 25 could help to simplify the laboratory workflow they might have. The other benefit of having and improve process security. We were able to the pilot facility is that it allows us to develop visit several other laboratories using the research collaborations into innovative forensics HID EVOlution set-up, and they were very technologies which may be implemented in the positive about both the equipment and the future, such as Ion Torrent™ sequencing.” Tecan service. The local distributor – Tagaca – and Tecan’s regional representatives were also “We are still in the early phases of the project, extremely supportive from the outset, so we so are not really using these systems to their felt very comfortable with our choice.” full potential yet, but so far the instruments have been very easy to use. The software is “Tecan was also instrumental in designing user friendly, and we have received very good our pilot laboratory here in Uruguay,” Carlos support from the Tecan team to help integrate added. “User training is an important part the systems into our complete laboratory of the service we provide, and so we needed workflow. We are now looking to provide the a facility that would allow us to teach the same comprehensive service in several other Venezuelan technicians to use the equipment. countries, and Tecan will certainly be at the It is very important that they are trained on forefront of our minds for these projects,” the same equipment they will be faced with Carlos concluded. in their own laboratories, so creating the pilot center here in Montevideo was the perfect To find out more on Tecan’s forensics solution. It is currently acting primarily as a solutions, visit www.tecan.com/forensics training laboratory for our customers’ staff, and will give us the ability to support the To learn more about Genia Geo, work being performed at their sites once go to www.geniageo.com they go live, troubleshooting any issues

Left to right: Juan Martín Marqués, Alejandra Torres and Leticia Repetto with the HID EVOlution 26 VETERINARY TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 Boosting capacity for veterinary testing

The Veterinary Laboratory for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, USA, uses a Freedom EVO® 150 workstation to test for Johne’s disease, a contagious, chronic and potentially fatal paratuberculosis infection of the small intestine in ruminants.

The Veterinary Laboratory for the the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is in Harrisburg, explained: “We currently part of the tripartite Pennsylvania Animal process about 100,000 samples annually Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS), and have to be prepared for any outbreaks which provides a comprehensive range or animal health issues, such as avian of immunohistochemical, serological, influenza, equine herpes, etc., so flexibility molecular diagnostic, bacteriological and is very important in our laboratory. We virological tests, as well as pathological originally purchased a Freedom EVO 150 and aquatic services for the State of workstation with Gemini™ software from Pennsylvania. PADLS routinely offers Tecan in 2004 to coincide with an expected disease testing for animals of agricultural increase in testing for BSE (bovine spongiform importance and, in the case of animal encephalopathy). As BSE testing numbers disease emergencies such as outbreaks of dropped, we decided to repurpose this avian influenza, foot and mouth disease or instrument for automating an IDEXX assay Deepanker Tewari, Director of the Pennsylvania classical swine fever, is well equipped to offer for Johne’s disease (paratuberculosis) in Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg testing as part of the National Animal Health cattle, in order to cope with the 60,000 tests Laboratory Network. Just within the cattle we were receiving annually. Although the species, PADLS provides services to over workstation itself was perfect for the task, 10,000 herds – comprising more than half a the platform’s existing software meant that “The Tecan platform and million livestock – in Pennsylvania alone, as we would need to set up specific scripts to scheduling software give us well as any others moving between states or run different plate combinations, which was all the flexibility we need…” for export to the Americas, Europe and Asia. far from ideal. We contacted Tecan, and the This high throughput testing requires rapid Company worked closely with us to design a response, as Deepanker Tewari, Director of Freedom EVOware® Plus-based­ solution that

The Freedom EVO enabled the laboratory to perform 60,000 tests a year for Johne’s disease Talk to Tecan TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013 27

simplified our workflow and enabled us to schedule the number of plates we wanted for a specific assay run with just a single process. We greatly appreciated the support we received from Tecan.”

Daniel Moser, Marketing Manager, TIG, Tecan Schweiz AG The scheduling feature, exclusive to Freedom EVOware Plus, removes the need to write different scripts for all the different batch sizes required, making it easy to adjust to varying Leading the debate throughputs. Deepanker continued: “The Freedom EVOware Plus scheduler is very easy to use; Laboratory automation is a continually shifting landscape, requiring while it standardizes the platform for an assay run, the constant innovation to match the latest cutting-edge techniques to the staff are free to do other important tasks, like quality routine workflows of life science laboratories. Implementation of these control testing and the large amount of paperwork novel technologies can often be complex, involving numerous sample that we need to complete to meet animal health handling processes and integration of a number of separate instruments regulations. We chose to do initial sample dilutions or devices into a single, cohesive workflow. This issue is further and plate loadings by hand, but the rest of the ELISA complicated by the increasing use of high throughput technologies, is automated. The washing steps use Tecan’s fixed requiring laboratories to reliably and reproducibly process hundreds, or tips that work very well for serological assays; we had sometimes thousands, of samples a day. no problems with cross-contamination in our initial validation, and this is constantly confirmed by assays Laboratory automation is an obvious solution to help laboratories we perform for national proficiency testing schemes.” address both the increasing complexity and higher throughput requirements of these innovative technologies, but there is not always The system coped easily with the laboratory’s initial a standard automation system available to meet their individual needs. Johne’s disease workload but recent changes in the Although many companies and academic centers have the expertise to Federal testing program have reduced this load to develop a bespoke automation solution in house, there are a wide range 20,000 samples annually, leaving plenty of capacity of associated issues – such as quality assurance and regulatory concerns on the instrument for other ELISAs. Deepanker – which can make this approach unfeasible. concluded: “Our needs are constantly changing, with new diseases and new testing protocols coming up all The Tecan Integration Group (TIG) was created in 1996 to address this the time. The Tecan platform and scheduling software challenge, bringing together a multidisciplinary team of life scientists, give us all the flexibility we need to deal easily with engineers and software programmers to provide smooth implementation this, and we are looking at other assays that we can of bespoke solutions and new technologies. Drawing on over 30 years of automate on the system now that we have additional experience in liquid handling, project management, quality assurance capacity. We are really happy with the system, with and regulatory compliance, TIG aims to support customers throughout the workflow we can achieve and especially with how the development of their system – from initial planning through to easily we can adapt to our changing needs.” final acceptance of the workstation following installation – offering a guarantee of quality and complete peace of mind. To find out more on Tecan’s veterinary solutions, visit www.tecan.com/veterinary To share your experiences of working with Tecan to produce bespoke solutions, send your comments to [email protected] To learn more about the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System, go to www.padls.org 28 EVENTS 2013 TECAN JOURNAL 3/2013

Meet Tecan at these events

Americas 13th International Congress of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring & Clinical Toxicology Salt Lake City, UT, USA 22 – 26 Sept 2013 24th International Symposium on Human Identification (ISHI 24) Atlanta, GA, USA 07 – 10 Oct 2013 63rd Annual ASHG Meeting Boston, MA, USA 23 – 25 Oct 2013 FAST: Functional Analysis & Screening Technologies Boston, MA, USA 28 – 30 Oct 2013 SOFT 2013 Orlando, FL, USA 28 Oct – 01 Nov 2013 Asia and Pacific The 3rd Annual Biobank Conference & Exhibition Shanghai, China 26 – 28 Sept 2013 28th JSSX Annual Meeting in Tokyo Tokyo, Japan 09 – 11 Oct 2013 JACLaS EXPO 2013 Yokohama, Japan 10 – 12 Oct 2013 The 15th Beijing Conference and Exhibition on Instrumental Analysis Beijing, China 23 – 26 Oct 2013 China International Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF Autumn 2013) Xiamen, China 03 – 06 Nov 2013 36th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan Kobe, Japan 03 – 06 Dec 2013 Europe, Middle East and Africa MipTec 2013 Basel, Switzerland 24 – 26 Sept 2013 ESBB Conference 2013 Verona, Italy 08 – 11 Oct 2013 Luminex xSAMPLES 2013 Lisbon, Portugal 30 – 31 Oct 2013 JIB International Days of Biology 2013 Paris, France 13 – 15 Nov 2013 Medica 2013 Düsseldorf, Germany 20 – 23 Nov 2013 HandsOn: Biobanks 2013 The Hague, Netherlands 21 – 22 Nov 2013 Webinars Reader and washer webinar series; your body is 3D, why is your cell culture not? 27 Sept 2013

Tecan are pioneers in automated liquid handling and innovative life science solutions. For over 30 years we continue to enable and support our customers to make the world a healthier and safer place.

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Tecan Journal, Customer Magazine of Tecan Trading AG., ISSN 1660-5276 Tecan Group Ltd. makes every effort to include accurate and up-to-date information within this Design: OTM/London www.otmcreate.com publication, however, it is possible that omissions or errors might have occurred. Tecan Group Ltd. Photography: Günter Bolzern/Zürich www.bolzern.net cannot, therefore, make any representations or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy Editor in Chief: Tecan Trading AG, Cornelia Kegele or completeness of the information provided in this publication. Changes in this publication can Project Lead: Tecan Trading AG, Cornelia Kegele/Antonietta Allocca be made at any time without notice. All mentioned trademarks are protected by law. In general, Editor: kdm/UK www.kdm-communications.com the trademarks and designs referenced herein are trademarks, or registered trademarks, of Tecan Print: DAZ Druckerei Albisrieden AG/Zurich www.daz.ch Group Ltd., Mannedorf, Switzerland. A complete list may be found at www.tecan.com/trademarks. Address: Tecan Trading AG, Marketing Communications, Product names and company names that are not contained in the list but are noted herein may Seestrasse 103, CH-8708 Männedorf, Switzerland, be the trademarks of their respective owners. For technical details and detailed procedures of the [email protected], www.tecan.com specifications provided in this document please contact your Tecan representative. To register for the Tecan Journal please go to www.tecan.com/journal This journal may contain reference to applications and products which are not available in all © 2013 Tecan Trading AG, Switzerland, all rights reserved. markets. Please check with your local sales representative: www.tecan.com/contact