ISSN 1660-5276
Tecan Journal English Edition 1/2004 - February 2004
Interview with Dr. Aitor Galdos, CEO of Tecan Page 3
Freedom EVOware® – a new standard of control over automation platforms Page 9
Microarray System Brings Speed to Genotyping Page 5 www.tecan.com
Editorial
Contents
Laboratory Automation Receives New Impulse
Interview Interview with Dr. Aitor Galdos, CEO of Tecan
Dear Customer
Page 3
Firstly, I’m delighted to introduce you to Aitor Galdos, who took over as CEO of Tecan Group on 1 November 2003. Aitor combines a solid technical understanding with a broad industry background, including extensive
Genomics
experience in business management, and so I am
A New Microarray System Brings Speed to Genotyping
convinced that he will continue to extend the leading
Page 5
position of Tecan as a supplier of high-precision platforms for laboratory automation.
Drug Discovery Automated microbiology: Identification of antimicrobial substances for cosmetic products
For more information on Aitor, please read the interview on the facing page. In 2004, Tecan will continue to launch a series of innovative new products starting with Freedom EVOware®, a completely new software for controlling the Freedom EVO® series of platforms. With its ease of use and outstanding performance, this software
Page 7 New Products
sets new standards in controlling laboratory automation platforms (page 9). As always, this edition of the Tecan Journal contains articles on interesting
Freedom EVOware® – a new standard of control over automation platforms
Page 9
applications. On page 5 you will find an article on the contribution of the LS laser scanner to the accelerated and more efficient generation of genotyping results. On page 7, we describe an automated application for the identification of substances
Clinical Diagnostics
with bacteriostatic properties. This solution includes an automated plating function
Measuring aggregation
Page 11
and will be of interest to our customers in the cosmetics industry as well as to other sectors. Automating thrombocyte function assays will facilitate the diagnosis of medically important hemostatic disorders. Tecan has developed an interesting solution, which is presented on page 11 of this edition.
Tecan Plus Get Trained by Certified Experts
If you wish to discuss your requirements personally with one of our technical sales staff or arrange for a demonstration of our products, you can meet our staff at a wide range of trade shows and conferences. Please check our calendar of events on
Page 13
page 14 to find the most convenient time and venue for you. And if there isn’t one, just call your nearest Tecan office – we’ll be pleased to help you as much as we can!
Events New Products
Yours faithfully,
Monochromator power for assay development and high-throughput screening – Safire2
Page 14 Local News
Mike Baronian Chairman Tecan Group Ltd.
Page 15
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Interview
“I want to strengthen Tecan’s position as the leading supplier of solutions for liquid handling and detection” Interview with Dr. Aitor Galdos, CEO of Tecan Aitor Galdos was born 1955 in Venezuela and holds Master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and metallurgy from the University of Michigan. He completed his PhD at the University of Tokyo, Japan, in the Department of Nuclear Engineering. He also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at the University of Syracuse, NY. Aitor worked for three years in oil production with Exxon in the Amazon region. Later he built up one of the Japanese branches for Balzers AG (today’s Unaxis Corporation) and then moved within the group to the position of Product Manager in Liechtenstein. In 1996 he took over the development and management of the TFT Display Division. From 1999 through 2001 Aitor was in charge of corporate development at Unaxis. Before joining Tecan, he was with VP Bank in Vaduz, where he worked as Head of Group Marketing and Business Development.
What motivated you to take up the position
This demonstrates that Tecan is in an excellent
This move reflects the decision of the board of
as CEO of the leading supplier of solutions
competitive position and has the necessary
directors in July 2003 to focus Tecan’s business
for liquid handling and detection in the life
requirements for growth.
activities on its core competencies of liquid handling, robotics, detection, software and
sciences sector? Aitor Galdos: It is a very interesting challenge
In July 2003, Tecan launched a single
for me to manage a company that has such a
platform that was built for the requirements
good potential for growth. I find it attractive
of customers in all business areas. Has this
to oversee and influence key areas of a
concept proven to be successful so far?
commercial organization, considering the perspective of all stakeholders – customers, investors and employees.
a radical change, but continuing evolutionary innovation for our existing customers.
Which of your experiences from previous
we introduced through the Freedom EVO®
positions do you consider to be of specific
series allows new customers to evolve their
importance to your function as CEO of Tecan?
platforms from basic systems according to
Marketing and Strategic Management is certainly of great value for this position. An additional advantage for Tecan is my good knowledge of the Asian region and culture.
What is your impression of Tecan since you started on 1 November 2003?
organizational structure of the company. The closing down of the separate facility in Munich helped us to reduce organizational costs. Specific Proteomics competencies and
With this concept, we did not want to bring
At the same time, the standardization that
My background in Product Development,
miniaturization and to streamline the
their needs. More than 50 percent of the
activities will be continued at other Tecan sites. This means that Tecan is still committed to maintaining and developing its current range of products for Proteomics customers. As an example, important Proteomics applications such as the Digest or the Advanced Digest have now been made available on the Freedom EVO platform.
liquid handling platforms in production are already of the new Freedom EVO type. This proves that customers are convinced by the new concept and have rapidly accepted it.
The facility of Tecan in Munich, where applications for the Proteomics area had
“We will continue to launch an impressive number of new products in 2004”
been developed, has recently been closed I am really impressed by the motivation and commitment of the employees. Their focus
down. What are the implications to Tecan’s Proteomics products range?
on the business is extraordinarily high.
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Interview
The LabCD is an innovative product, which
preferred kit with an automation solution
How will Tecan meet the increasing demands
enables the miniaturization of assays.
from the leading provider of laboratory
of customers regarding optimization of costs
How have customers reacted?
automation solutions.
and ease of use in the future?
We’ve received very positive feedback from
We will continue to develop our Freedom EVO
customers using our first ADMET assay on
In Clinical Diagnostics, regulatory
platform. Customers will be able to buy more
the LabCD introduced in February 2003.
requirements are becoming increasingly
options and to perform more applications
They really like the fact that the application
important. How does Tecan support its
on the same platform, which increases their
is prevalidated and that the number of
Diagnostics customers in meeting these
return on investment. The possibility to work
necessary manual interventions is considerably
requirements?
with the same platform in all areas and
reduced compared with other systems.
throughput ranges will reduce the necessary
We already signed several alliance and R&D
training expense for institutions with a
contracts with key customers in order to develop
larger equipment base. In addition, the new
further assays in the ADMET area. We are
software EVOware was developed to allow
definitely committed to this application and
users to implement and run their applications
want to make sure that the LabCD becomes
with an unmatched ease of use. On the
the undisputed standard for appropriate
organizational level, we want to strengthen
biopharmaceutical applications.
our Customer Service and Application Support (currently Customized Solutions) structures.
Currently, Tecan is focusing mainly on its core competencies of liquid handling and
Where do you find the necessary balance
detection. What is the underlying business
to this challenging task?
strategy?
I find it very relaxing to be on a sailing boat
Due to the weakness in the Life Science industry
Tecan has continuously adapted its quality
observing the sunrise over the ocean. I also
in recent years, we had to adapt our business
system and has implemented all the necessary
enjoy spending time on my other hobbies,
strategy. We want to maintain and develop
organizational measures to fulfill the worldwide
which include traveling and reading.
our position as the number one company
regulatory standards including the recently
in the crucial core competencies for the life
implemented IVD-Directive 98/79/EC of the
sciences tools industry. With this approach
EU. So customers can be sure they will receive
we will continue to provide the best platforms
the best possible products and after sales
and solutions to eliminate the bottlenecks in
service for their requirements. I want to point
the research and development as well as the
out that Tecan has specifically trained sales
diagnostics process. As a first step, I want
managers that are able to consult customers
to consolidate Tecan’s position in focused
if they need assistance with regulatory
markets. Therefore, we are currently defining
compliance.
product groups in order to bring more transparency into financial reporting and
Which important product launches
to develop strategies along these product
can be expected from Tecan this year?
groups. Based on the strategy for the products, we will reconsider Tecan’s corporate strategy.
As in previous years, we will continue to
“We will continue to provide the best platforms and solutions”
launch an impressive number of new products in 2004. Two important products will become
Today, many customers are looking for
available in the first quarter: the new
complete solutions to their application
pipetting and scheduling software EVOware
needs. Devices, reagents and application
and the new monochromator-based
support should all be available from one
microplate reader Safire2. Further new
single supplier. How is Tecan planning to
detection systems will follow this year.
offer this added value to its customers?
Tecan will also extend its Gene Expression
Our “open system approach” allows us to
Suite of products and launch interesting
adapt the platforms to the needs of our
new applications in other areas.
customers. We are collaborating with the main suppliers of reagents and kits that are of importance for the application needs of our customers so they can combine their
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Genomics
A New Microarray System Brings Speed to Genotyping Several solutions from Tecan contribute to the automation of high-throughput genotyping services offered by Transnetyx
The seamless integration of Tecan’s automated LS 200/300/400 series of laser scanners with its
Transnetyx Staff:
Array-Pro Analyzer software provides unprecedented flexibility and throughput for high-throughput
From Left to Right
screening and other microarray applications. The high quality of the data generated by the
Front Row, Suzanne Ledbetter, Jean Wolaver
LS series of laser scanners is a prerequisite for successfully generating results with statistical
Back Row, Nate Nowak, Jeff Thomas,
and bioinformatical evaluations, which become increasingly important in the postgenomic era.
Bob Bean, Tim Hodge, Scott Balentine.
When working with transgenic animals,
intensive PCR and Southern Blot protocols
a thorough genotyping analysis of DNA
with easily automateable microarray
The System for secure, fast, accurate and convenient genotyping
samples is necessary to confirm the
technology. With PCR and Southern Blot
The Transnetyx system was originally
presence of the desired genotype. Although
protocols an average batch size of 30
designed and developed as a platform
PCR is often the method of choice for this
samples could be processed every two to
technology, not only for mutant mouse
kind of analysis, it is a tedious, time
three days. With Transnetyx’ novel solution,
screening, but to enable high-throughput
consuming and often error prone procedure
thousands of samples can be processed
performance of other genetic tests and
that is not very well suited for a high-
simultaneously in approximately eight
screening protocols. The system is based
throughput approach. Transnetyx, Inc.,
hours. With this significant increase in
on four Tecan instruments:
a Memphis, Tennessee based company, has
speed and throughput, researchers can
• Genesis Platform for sample configuration
addressed this problem with a proprietary
now redirect their time and resources to
new microarray system that utilizes several
meaningful scienctific research rather than
solutions from Tecan.
spending it performing routine tests. The
Transnetyx’ automated system allows it to perform genotype analysis testing quicker and cheaper than in-house laboratory technicians. The proprietary process automates the entire screening protocol for detecting transgenic, knock-out, and knockin alleles in laboratory mice. It replaces labor-
increased throughput of the new method is critical for drug studies involving large numbers of transgenic mice. In addition, the microarray technology uses significantly less reagents, chemicals, and consumables offering a six-fold cost-savings per sample over the existing manual protocols.
(accessioning station). • Genesis Freedom® Platform (probe accessioning station). • GENios microplate reader for scanning well plates for DNA content and quality. • LS300 Laser Scanner for scanning the slides. Currently, Transnetyx has installed one production line. A second one will start operating in spring 2004. Each production line incorporates two high volume liquid
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Genomics
Transnetyx Tray System on Tecan Transnetyx Clean Room.
Genesis Freedom.
handling stations, one microarray machine,
volumes of samples, Transnetyx implemented
Fast and reliable results
and one laser scanner. “The addition of the
a customized Laboratory Information
For Transnetyx’ customers, the benefits of
Tecan LS 300 to our laboratory operations has
Management System (“LIMS”) software
the technology are obvious. Cost effective
greatly improved our productivity as well as
program to manage the entire production
services are provided rapidly and reliably.
our flexibility. Its ability to scan slides and
process. After receiving all customer orders
All of this is enabled through the use of
well plates gives us many options over
from the website order entry system, LIMS
reliable, state-of-the-art automation solutions;
conventional slide scanners,” comments
generates a daily production work list,
many of which are provided by Tecan.
Robert Bean, Vice President of Transnetyx.
verifies chemical and reagent inventory,
He adds: “Day in and day out, we believe
tracks each sample through each sequence,
the LS 300 is one of the best scanners on the
links the automation software at every
market. We have compared our results to
equipment station to the process, and finally
other scanners and have found the data to
posts the results back to the customer
be more accurate and more useful to us in
account management system.
the LS 300 format.”
Currently, the system has a capacity of
The platform minimizes manual intervention
50,000 samples in an 18-hour workday.
and the potential for error by utilizing a
The only bottleneck in the process, sample
conveyor system to move and scan samples
accessioning, will be overcome with
from station to station. To control such large
additional liquid handling solutions.
Transnetyx: Year of foundation: 2001 Current number of staff: 8 Genotyping service: Beta trials are currently available for 20 launch customers. Commercial availability in March 2004 Examples of typical customers: University Laboratories, Individual Primary Investigators, University Core facilities, University Animal Centers who centralize test services, Breeders, Bio/Pharma Research Centers Typical types of tests: Testing for trangenes, knock out, knock in, insertions, zygosity.
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Drug Discovery
Automated Microbiology: Identification of Antimicrobial Substances for Cosmetic Products Author: Bernd Traupe, R&D cosmed, Beiersdorf AG, Unnastr. 48, 20245 Hamburg
Figure 2: The Spiral Plater plates the samples with bacteria on a petri dish while the RoMa Figure 1: Tecan Genesis Workstation with Eppendorf Thermoshaker and Wasp Spiral Plater.
Introduction
Material and Methods
program of cosmetic products. These substances serve as additives to guarantee the required shelf life of the product. In other products like deodorants, these additives are responsible for the desired antimicrobial effect. This work describes the automation of a test to identify substances with antimicrobial activity against the bacterial strain Corynebacterium xerosis ATCC 7711. Each set of experiments involves testing five candidate substances (tested in duplicate) and two control compounds. The compounds are mixed with the bacteria, and allowed to incubate. Samples are removed at various time points and plated onto agar. After 48 hours of incubation, the colonies on the plates are counted. A graphical analysis of the number of colonies in relation to time represents the bacteriostatic effect of the tested substance. Automation of the process has doubled the throughput of the test while maintaining
• Barcode reader on the Genesis workbench for scanning the barcode on each plate
Screening for substances with an antimicrobial effect is often a part of the development
arm holds the cover.
Instruments Together with Tecan, Beiersdorf AG
after transport to the Spiral Plater. • Wasp Spiral Plater (Don Whitley Scientific),
established an automated solution for the
integrated on the Genesis workstation
processing of the described procedures.
(the Spiral Plater is loaded with agar
The components are:
plates and sample racks by the RoMa arm).
• Tecan Genesis RSP 200/8 with a robotic manipulator (RoMa) arm, 8 x 1 ml syringes,
Chemicals
8 Teflon covered steel tips.
20% ethanol, for the stock solutions of
• Fast Wash pump.
substances; 70% ethanol, for decontaminating
• Carrier for substances in Eppendorf cups.
the pipetting tips; medium; agar plates
• Reagent storage reservoir filled with 70%
(10 cm) with C- Agar (Heipa).
ethanol for decontamination of the pipetting tips after each pipetting step. • Special carriers for 3 x 7 racks with four sample containers each (these racks are transported to the Spiral Plater by the RoMa arm. Samples are plated directly from the racks). • Eppendorf Thermomixer for incubation of bacteria and test substances. • Carousel on the right side of the workstation for storage of agar plates.
The assay The pipetting robot is loaded with five test substances and two controls. 76 bar-code labeled agar plates are stored in the carousel and all chemical containers (stock solution with bacterial strain, extra medium for dissolving the substance and bacteria and decontamination solution) are filled up. The test substances (performed in duplicate) and the two controls are mixed with the bacteria with a ratio of 1:1 (or 500 µl of the
the system free of contamination. Tecan Journal 1/2004
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Drug Discovery
Automation of the process has doubled the throughput of the test while maintaining the system free of contamination
Figure 3: Example of the result of a screening assay: After adding the test substance the CFUs (colony forming units) per ml at specific times are calculated and displayed on a time graph. This example shows that substance B has the strongest antimicrobial effect.
substance solution are added to 500 µl of
Results
the bacterial culture) and incubated on the
Each run is capable of testing five substances
thermoshaker. At T0 samples are taken from
in a duplicate test against two controls.
both controls and dissolved 1:10 and 1:100 in
Samples are taken and plated at four specific
a transportable sample container. After each
points in time (0, 20 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours).
pipetting step the tips are decontaminated
Agar plates are then incubated for 48 hours
in 70% ethanol and washed with the
at 30°C and the numbers of colonies are
system’s washing solution. All 24 samples
displayed graphically against the incubation
are subsequently transported to the Spiral
times. This allows an interpretation of the
Figure 4: Time benefit of automating the test.
Plater and plated on the petri dishes. For this
antimicrobial effect of each tested compound.
The limit in throughput is not yet reached
procedure the RoMa arm first transports the
An example of the result is shown in Fig 3.
and can be further increased twofold. On a
Experienced staff can process the assay
single workday the manual method allowed
carrier racks, each containing four samples, to the Spiral Plater and then gets the agar plates from the carousel to the Spiral Plater. After a plate is placed in the right position, the cover is lifted up and the Spiral Plater’s
manually, without any automated steps in ca. five hours. Using the automated system described, processing of the same amount of samples takes just 90 minutes.
turntable spins the agar plate (see Fig 2). During this step the barcode is scanned.
This article was originally published in BioTec
The Spiral Plater’s pipetting tip then takes
11-12/2003.
a sample and plates it through continuous
for testing a total of five substances, while the automated solution is capable of processing double the amount. However, the theoretical maximum throughput is not yet reached and the system is capable of increasing throughput by a further factor of 2, to a total of 20 substances. The system is linked to an Access database, which generates the barcodes for the plates and also links the
dispensing in a linear movement over the
barcodes of the sample and the plate. The
spinning plate, creating a spiral sample
counting of the colonies on a IUL reader is
pattern on the plate. In a last step the RoMa
currently performed offline, but linking this
arm puts the cover back on the plate and
directly to the Access database in order to
transports the plate back to the carousel for
directly link the number of colonies to the
storage. The samples are incubated at 30°C
plate barcode is possible.
on a temperature controlled shaker. After incubation for 20 minutes, 1 hour and 3 hours 24 extra samples are plated, now adding up to a total of 76 agar plates for five tested substances. After 48 hours of incubation the colonies on the plates are counted.
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New Products
Freedom EVOware® – a New Standard of Control over Automation Platforms Freedom EVOware is Tecan’s new state of the art software for all your biopharmaceutical and research application needs
Password protected login supports compliance with CFR 21 part 11 requirements.
Tecan is opening yet another chapter in the history of liquid handling automation: Freedom EVOware brings a new dimension to controlling robotic platforms. Whether you are a beginner with no experience or an automation expert wanting to set up a complex multi-device schedule – Freedom EVOware is the tool that offers an unmatched combination of flexibility and ease of use.
Ultimate Flexibility
The 3D viewer allows you to simulate protocols easier and faster.
Freedom EVOware is the first liquid handling and robotic control software to provide
multilevel user management, full audit trail,
reduce your learning time and to achieve
pipetting and dynamic scheduling in one
electronic records and electronic signatures.
an excellent working experience.
the door of advanced assay control to a whole
Simple daily operation
Freedom to evolve
new group of users. An outstanding range
Freedom EVOware guides new users to get
Freedom EVOware offers system integrators
of functionalities and performance features
up and running fast! Standard protocols may
an extendable library of over 75 drivers for
together with scalability and flexibility make
be selected from the system library or new
detection, separation, robotics and plate
Freedom EVOware the robotic and liquid
optimized protocols may be easily created
handling and storage devices from Tecan
handling software of choice.
for everyday use.
and 3rd party vendors. System customization
package. Therefore, Freedom EVOware opens
is supported through a variety of open
From lab technicians running protocols to system integrators extending the system
Intuitive creation of protocols
interfaces for device drivers, automation,
with new devices, Freedom EVOware offers
Freedom EVOware’s intuitive graphical user
worklisting and messaging, delivering
you a superior working experience through
interface sets new standards in ease of use.
flexibility at all levels.
its ease-of-use. A consistent and intuitive
Worktable definition is simplified through
graphical user interface truly simplifies
drag and drop, and protocols creation is
the control of the Freedom EVO®, from basic
accelerated through application templates
pipetting protocols on a Freedom EVO 100,
that get you started. 3D simulation allows
to multi-plate scheduled runs on a fully
you to see your process before running it
configured Freedom EVO 200. Freedom
on the Freedom EVO, thus saving valuable
EVOware supports laboratories working under
consumables. The features of the modern
the FDA’s 21 CFR part 11 regulation that need
and intuitive user interface allow you to
Tecan Journal 1/2004
Enabling Genomics, Proteomics and Drug Discovery applications
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New Products
Freedom EVOware is available in two configurations: Freedom EVOware Standard • Start-up screens guide operators through common routines. • Intuitive graphical user interface for worktable and protocol creation. • Graphical definition of robotic moves. • Application templates accelerate creation of common protocols. • Wizards assist creation of advanced pipetting procedures. • 3D view of instrument for simulating sequences. • Internet downloadable liquid classes and labware definitions. • Expandable with a library of over 75 device drivers. • Full support for FDA CFR 21 part 11. Freedom EVOware Plus • Process oriented protocol definition. • Integrated scheduler simplifies scale-up to multi-plate runs. • Save optimized schedules for improved efficiency.
Start-up screens guide operators through common routines.
The Favourites tab of the control bar allows you to organize your most frequently used commands and labware in one easy to access location.
Easy to use graphical interface: simply drag and drop the necessary labware on the worktable (left). The same user friendly method works for selecting commands for the generation of scripts (right).
Simple, intuitive and flexible software
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Clinical Diagnostics
Measuring Aggregation Automation of assays for the function of thrombocytes
Figure 1: The test setup on a Genesis Freedom for the automation of functional tests of thrombocytes (see copy for components).
Hemostasis is the process of repairing
plasma is subsequently diluted to obtain
of the analyzed thrombocytes and the
lesions in blood vessels. The repair
the desired number of thrombocytes for
possible presence of functional disorders.
mechanism is based on the synergestic
the tests. An important assay to test the
co-action of contracting blood vessels, the
function of thrombocytes is the photometric
The goal for automation
plasmatic coagulation system, and platelets
detection of thrombocyte-aggregation upon
The manual procedure for testing 120 samples
(thrombocytes). Thrombocytes are responsible
the addition of trigger agents like collagen
takes 5-6 man-hours per day. The goal was to
for the formation of the primary
(stimulates the interaction of thrombocytes
automate this process in order to reduce the
hemostatic clot. The clot develops from
with subendothelial stroma), ADP (stimulates
workload and to enable staff to perform
the adhesion of the thrombocytes to
the interaction of thrombocytes), epinephrine
other tasks. The additional capacities are
sub-endothelial collagen, followed by
(stimulates arachidonic acid metabolism),
used to continuously cross-check the results,
adsorption of the thrombocytes, and then
arachidonic acid (stimulates the formation of
which significantly increases the quality of
stabilization with fibrin. It is their adhesive
thromboxan A2), or ristocetin (stimulates the
data and also gives physicians, clinics and
and aggregative properties that enable
aggregating effect of the von-Willebrand-
laboratories much faster access to their results.
thrombocytes to play a crucial role in this
factor). For the assay, the thrombocyte-rich
process. Aggregation of thrombocytes can
plasma and the trigger reagent are placed in
The solution
be triggered by various inductors including
a cuvette and stirred with a small magnetic
The system is based on a Tecan Genesis
adrenalin, collagen and thrombin, or by
agitator. The stirring motion prevents
FreedomŽ (see Fig 1) with a “Pick and Place�
numerous mechanical factors.
sedimentation of thrombocytes and
arm on the left side (1), a liquid handling
Testing the functionality of thrombocytes
facilitates the formation of aggregates.
arm with four syringes on the right side (2),
is an important tool for the diagnosis of
Following this step, the transmission of long
a barcode scanner for the detection of the
hemostatic disorders. In order to perform
wavelength light, which increases during the
sample tubes (3), positions for four Apact 4
these thrombocyte function tests, platelet
formation of aggregates, is measured over a
Aggregometers (Labitec) (4), as well as
rich plasma first needs to be obtained; which
defined period of time. A graph of this data
positions for a stock of cuvettes (5) and a
is accomplished by centrifuging citric blood
is then compared with standard curves
waste station for disposal of used cuvettes (6).
under defined conditions. The extracted
enabling determination of the functionality
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Clinical Diagnostics
Figure 2: Typical aggregation results after adding the trigger. X-axis: Time [sec], Y-axis: transmission = % aggregation. Figure 2a+b show a pathological function of thrombocytes typical for sticky-platelet syndrome. Figure 2a: Aggregation when adding the triggers collagen (black), ADP (red) and arachidonic acid (blue) are normal. Figure 2b: When adding different concentrations of epinephrine (red=1:10, green=1:100, blue=1:1000) no change in aggregation is observed and does not differ from adding pure epinephrine (black) (stimulusunproportional aggregation behavior). Figure 2c shows a pathological function of thrombocytes. The aggregation stimulated by collagen (black), epinephrine (green) and arachidonic acid (blue) is clearly constricted. The aggregation when adding ADP (red) is normal, suggesting a release-defect.
This workstation was developed and set up
Four different applications are used:
in collaboration with the lab of Prof Trobisch
1. Assay for aggregation of thrombocytes on
in Duisburg. A crucial step during setup was
seven channels per sample (tests for sticky-
the exact positioning of the “Pick and Place”
platelet-syndrome and thrombocytopathia:
arm, which transports the cuvettes and
Triggers are collagen, ADP, arachidonic acid
places them into the four photometers.
and epinephrine in four concentrations). 2. Assay for aggregation of thrombocytes
The process
on four channels per sample (tests for
In a sample preparation step, the citric blood
drug-induced thrombocytopathia:
of patients is centrifuged, yielding platelet-
Triggers are collagen, ADP, arachidonic
rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-free plasma
acid and epinephrine).
Figure 3: Pick and Place arm.
(PPP). PPP is used for calibrating the system and the PRP is adjusted to contain between 200,000 and 400,000 thrombocytes per µl. The tubes, which have been bar-coded for patient- and sample-identification, are scanned by the Tecan barcode scanner and compared with the task list maintained by the LIMS. This guarantees complete sample
3. Assay for aggregation of thrombocytes
Bernard-Soulier-syndrome, release-defect,
on five channels per sample (tests for
thrombopenia and radial aplasia, dense-
heparine-induced thrombocytopathia:
body-defect, gray-platelet-syndrome and
Triggers are HMW-haeoarine, LMW-
alpha-2-adrenerger-receptor-defect.
heparine, orgarane and isotonic NaCl
Automation of this process leads to an
as a blank value).
increased speed of analysis (3-4 hours
4. Assay for aggregation of thrombocytes
control and eliminates potential errors.
on four channels per sample (tests for
Samples that are not to be tested are
Willebrand-syndrome type II: Trigger is
identified immediately. Tecan’s Gemini
ristocetin in four concentrations).
and Pegasus software packages control
compared to 5-6 hours for manual processing) and a significant increase in the quality and reliability of results, which is a big step forward for laboratory medicine. This article was originally published in
the pipetting steps and the subsequent
Results
batch processing of the samples:
The test for aggregation of thrombocytes on
• Transport of cuvettes to and from
four channels (test for Willebrand-syndrome
Authors:
type II) shows typical results of aggregation
Prof. Dr. med. Heiner Trobisch
• Pipetting of PRP and PPP including mixing
tests (see Fig 2). The pattern of aggregation
Facharzt für Laboratoriums- und
of samples and adding reaction triggers.
after addition of the trigger substance leads
Transfusionsmedizin Duisburg
• Start and control of aggregometer.
to various conclusions about different
Königstr. 53, 47051 Duisburg
• Optimization of batch processing.
pathological functional disorders like drug-
Phone: 0203/30 09 80 Fax: 0203/30 09 899
• Handling of “fatal error” reports of
induced thrombocytopathia (Aspirin, NSAR),
E mail: praxis@trobisch.de
sticky-platelet-syndrome, Morbus Glanzmann,
Andrea Iffert, Laboratory Prof. Trobisch
the aggregometer.
the aggregometer.
LaborMedizin & Diagnostik 01.03.
Tecan Journal 1/2004
12
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Tecan Plus
Get Trained by Certified Experts – the Key for Success Share Tecan’s experience and optimize your laboratory efficiency through our extensive training programs
Training courses are an effective method for acquiring the specialized knowledge
• Learn from the experiences of other participants.
Our courses are run by certified trainers, product managers and applications specialists
necessary for the proper utilization of Tecan
• Time for practicing.
who are experts in their respective fields.
instruments. Tecan offers a comprehensive
• Ongoing access to feedback from
You can be confident that you will be
range of courses that combine in-depth theory with hands-on coaching sessions. Tecan’s comprehensive training programs enable customers to build up the knowledge necessary for optimizing the productivity of
the trainer and product experts. • Hands-on training using the instruments. • Small learning groups. • Interactive discussions. • Customized training is available on request.
their Tecan instruments. Taking advantage
receiving the very best education from skilled professionals. Courses are held at most of Tecan’s affiliate offices worldwide. Tecan also offers the economic and practical option of training onsite in your laboratory. This can significantly
of Tecan’s training resources and experienced
The right course for everyone
reduce your time and travel costs; especially
trainers, these courses provide the customer
Whatever your level of experience,we have
if you want to train several people.
with a thorough learning experience.
a course that is right for you. Our training programs cover the following main areas:
Benefits • Maximizing productivity = return on your training investment. • Effective learning without distraction from daily business. • Certified and highly skilled trainers. • Opportunities to ask questions and challenge what you are learning.
• Introduction to Tecan instruments,
For further information: www.tecan.com > Customer Relations > Training
including how to operate equipment safely. • Software concepts and program implementation. • Basic maintenance to prevent equipment down-time. • Liquid handling, including the Nanopipetting System (NPS). • Specialized application courses.
Tecan Journal 1/2004
13
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Events/New Products
Tecan on the Road Preview on Conferences and Trade Shows 2004 Date
Event
Location
Analytica
Munich
www.analytica.de
29 February – 4 March
LogP2004
Zurich
www.logp2004.ethz.ch
3-6 May
MipTec
Basel
www.miptec.com
12-14 January
CHI PepTalk
San Diego, CA
www.chi-peptalk.com
2-4 February
LabAutomation
San Jose, CA
www.labautomation.org/LA/LA04
29 February – 2 March
ABRF
Portland, OR
www.faseb.org/meetings/abrf2004
8-11 March
Pittcon
Chicago, IL
www.pittcon.org
24-26 May
ASM
New Orleans, LA
www.asm.org
15-18 April
1st Pacific-Rim Conference on Protein Science
Yokohama
www.pssj.jp
19-21 May
3rd International Bio Expo Japan
Tokyo
web.reedexpo.co.jp/bio/english
Germany: 11-14 May Switzerland:
North America
Japan:
Always up to date: http://www.tecan.com/index/com-ev-entry.htm
Monochromator Power for Assay Development and High-Throughput Screening – Safire2 Tecan’s new Safire2 is a fully modular monochromator-based microplate detection system. Modules for fluorescence intensity top reading, fluorescence intensity bottom reading, fluorescence polarization, multi-channel absorbance, multi-channel luminescence as well as integrated stackers are available. For the development of new assays, researchers deal with frequently changing applications and fluorophores requiring the optimization of different wavelengths. Safire2 utilizes specially designed fast-scanning double-monochromators for highest sensitivity making the use of optical filters for changing wavelengths in fluorescence and absorbance obsolete. While filterbased systems require new filters for each new wavelength, Safire2 has all wavelengths on board making it effortless for researchers to tune the system according to the needs of the assay and save time, costs and labor. Safire2 is not only extremely versatile but also features a high measurement speed in all detection modes, which also makes it ideal for high-throughput screening (HTS). The use of the system for assay development and HTS allows researchers to avoid the re-evaluation of the assay on a new system when applying it to an HTS environment. Due to the flexibility, sensitivity and high speed of Safire2, the instrument is the ideal solution to bridge the gap between assay development and HTS. Tecan Journal 1/2004
14
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Local News
Freedom EVO® at Molecular Biology show in Japan We celebrated Freedom EVO’s debut in Japan at the Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan from December 10 to 13, 2003 in Kobe. The exhibition, organized in conjunction with the conference, is one of the most vibrant trade shows in Japan and attracts researchers from both academia and life science industries. It was a great opportunity to give visitors the chance to familiarize themselves with Tecan’s new liquid handling platform and the wide range of products and solutions. Freedom EVO was exhibited as the high throughput solution for recombinant protein purification with Novagen’s RoboPop™ Purification Kits. The Freedom EVO Nucleic Acid Sample preparation system was another example that demonstrated the versatility of the Freedom EVO concept to the visitors of this year’s MBSJ. In addition, the LS 200 microarray scanner and HS 400 Hybridization station were showcased as the solutions for gene expression studies.
New EVO product line receives a lot of attention in Scandinavia The fourth BioTech Forum took place at The Scandinavian Exhibition and Conference Center in Stockholm (Sweden) from November 26 to 28. At the show, Tecan exhibited the new Freedom EVO® line of instruments for the first time in Scandinavia. This robotics and liquid handling platform allows the automation of research applications such as nucleic acid extraction and purification, which were prominently featured in the magnetic bead separation methods. Automation of clinical diagnostics applications were demonstrated on the new Freedom EVOlyzer, a fully automated ELISA workstation. In addition to new multichannel pipetting options (Aquarius/Autoloader), Tecan’s products for gene expression studies, including the HS 400 array hybridization station and LS 200 laser scanner, further highlighted the width of Tecan’s application expertise. Tecan’s booth attracted a large audience representing attendees from pharma, academia, and clinical diagnostics interested in seeing these instruments in operation and participating in direct discussions with Tecan specialists.
Masthead Tecan Journal Customer Magazine of Tecan Group Ltd. ISSN 1660-5276
Design, Editing and Layout: Northbank Communications Meadowside, Mountbatten Way, Congleton CW12 1DN, UK E-Mail: s.platz@northbankcommunications.com
Circulation: 9,000 copies (German), 10,500 copies (English)
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Publisher: Tecan Group Ltd.
Copyright: All rights are reserved by Tecan Journal
Editor: Dr. Josef Syfrig
Photos and Illustrations: Tecan Germany GmbH, Tecan Group Ltd, Northbank Communications
Address: Tecan Group Ltd., Seestrasse 103, CH-8708 Männedorf, Switzerland Tel: +41 1 922 88 88 Fax: +41 1 922 88 90 E-Mail: josef.syfrig@tecan.com Internet: http://www.tecan.com
Typography: Type set in Thesis from LucasFonts Subscription: For a free subscription to Tecan Journal, please contact your nearest sales office (see back cover of this issue) or send an e-mail to: tecan@tecan.com
Tecan Journal 1/2004
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The right key whatever your nucleic acid preparation
If extraction, purification and amplification of Nucleic Acids of the highest quality and yield – from any sample, using whatever protocol you choose, scaled to meet your current and future needs – is key to your research, then you'll need Tecan's Nucleic Acid Sample Preparation Suite. Whether you perform Nucleic Acid extraction and purification using SPE, magnetic beads, centrifugation or any type of PCR, Tecan offers solutions ranging from small workstations to fully integrated robotic systems designed specifically with the molecular biologist in mind. A wide range of complementary accessories allows for automation of a broad range of the most common protocols and throughput requirements. Take advantage of Tecan's profound expertise in genomics applications, and start enjoying the benefits of a suite of products to unlock your future discoveries.
Genomics • Proteomics • Drug Discovery • Clinical Diagnostics For more information please visit www.tecan.com/nasampleprep or call your nearest Tecan office Austria +43 62 46 89 33 Belgium +32 15 42 13 19 Denmark +45 70 23 44 50 France +33 1 30 68 81 50 Germany +49 79 51 94 170 Italy +39 02 215 21 28 Japan +81 42 334 88 55 Netherlands +31 18 34 48 17 4 Portugal +351 21 000 82 16 Singapore +65 644 41 886 Spain + 34 93 490 01 74 Sweden +46 31 75 44 000 Switzerland +41 1 922 89 22 UK +44 118 9300 300 USA +1 919 361 5200 Other +43 62 46 89 33