Screening platforms
The HTS platform consists of integrated instrumentation for pipetting/liquid handling, dispensing, plate handling and moving, incubators, as well as activity readers. In addition, the platform boasts a compound collection of approx. 55.000 chemicals inserted into an automated handling and storage facility.
The Liquid handlers and dispensers can work with 96- and 384-wells plates, and in some cases other formats (6, 12, 24, 1536 wells plates). The integrated robotic arm can move plates between various stations, including pipetting, storage, incubators and readers. Our readers consist of a fluorescence reader (Biotek Synergy 4) that can measure basically any fluorescent signal and assay type, the Caliper EZreader capillary electrophoresis system, and a HT-QPCR reader. We have successfully implemented protein activity assays for screening based on the Caliper EZreader capillary electrophoresis system. In addition, we have implemented a high-throughput Differential Scanning Fluorimetry based setup that measures protein-compound interactions.
The screening platform laboratory is approved for a Biosafety level 2/GMO class 2, making it possible to directly screen human pathogens requiring level 2.
Platform 1 is used for activity assays based upon fluorescence, absorbance, or microfluidic capillary electrophoresis, and consists of a Sciclone G3 96/384 channel liquid handling robot (Perkin Elmer), Twister II robotic arm and plate storage (Perkin Elmer), a 34-positions plate incubator (Liconic), a Synergy 4 fluorescence/absorbance plate reader (Biotek), EZreaderII plate reader (Perkin Elmer).
Platform 2 is dedicated to Differential Scanning Fluorimetry based screening and consists of a Zephyr liquid handling robot (Perkin Elmer), a Twister II robotic arm and plate storage (Perkin Elmer), a Lightcycler Q-PCR reader (Roche), and a plate sealer (Agilent).
In addition we have a freestanding EZreaderII (Perkin Elmer) for assay setup, and a Epimotion robot (Eppendorf) for compound handling. Also, various plate centrifuges, and multichannel pipettes.