Corporate Profile


Leaders in microplate-based solutions B


ioTek Instruments has origins dat- ing back to 1968, when the founder, Norman Alpert, a professor at the


University of Vermont, launched a compa- ny to manufacture and sell biomedical equipment. BioTek was one of the founders and drivers of the microplate market and introduced its first microplate reader, the EL307, in 1981 for immunoassay applica- tions. This was closely followed by the world’s first microplate washer, EL402, to automate the arduous process of washing inherent to ELISA technology. Since then, BioTek has emerged as a global leader in microplate-based solutions that increase the productivity for customers engaged in life science, drug discovery, clinical and chemical research over myriad applica- tions. Today, BioTek is still owned and operated by the Alpert family and com- pletely focused on microplate instrumenta- tion, automation and software. Our prod- ucts may be categorised under the headings Read, Wash, Dispense, Automate.


Read BioTek provides a full range of microplate readers. Its patent pending Hybrid Technology™ readers (Synergy™ H4, Synergy™ H1) offer the flexibility of


quadruple monochromator systems com- bined with the high light throughput and sensitivity of spectral filters and dichroic mirrors to cover the greatest range of appli- cations. Detection modes are modular and cover all common optical methods includ- ing absorbance, fluorescence intensity, luminescence, fluorescence polarisation and time-resolved fluorescence. It also pro- vides new and upcoming detection modes such as AlphaScreen and AlphaLISA. On the other end of the product offering are the single mode absorbance microplate readers (ELx800™, ELx808™, Epoch™, Powerwave™). BioTek has a rich history in the development of these products as this year it is celebrating the 30th year of the launch of its first absorbance microplate reader. Those 30 years of experience is built into every one of its products providing the end-user with a high quality, robust microplate reader.


Wash BioTek is the market leader in microplate washing offering products that span 96- to 1536-well densities. The product range cov- ers everything from strip washing using ELx50™ to full plate washing with ELx405™ and EL406™. Each of these products uses the patented Dual-Action™ Manifold, the unique design that incor- porates two sets of dispense and aspiration tubes per well for incomparable wash results. This feature, com- bined with angled and con- trollable dispense flow rates, make these products partic- ularly useful for work flows used in cell-based microplate assays, such as cell seeding, media exchanges, and cell washing.


Dispense BioTek incorporates both peristaltic and microproces- sor-controlled syringe pump technologies to dispense


Drug Discovery World Winter 2010/11


volumes ranging from 1µL to 3mL into microplates. BioTek’s new MultiFlo™ Microplate Dispenser is the latest advance- ment in bulk dispensers offering up to four reagents dispensed in parallel with one compact instrument. Users can purchase one channel now and add others in the future. A wide array of plate types are accommodated from 6- to 1536-well for- mats. BioTek’s proprietary angled dispens- ing ensures compatibility with all dispense protocols including reagent dispensing to loosely adherent cell monolayers. The Precision™ Microplate Pipetting System provides a means to automate hand pipet- ting tasks. It is particularly useful for per- forming the serial dilution of small mole- cule compounds necessary for performing dose-response curves typical to applica- tions such as secondary screening and pro- filing and can fit into a standard biological safety cabinet.


Automate


The BioStack™ Microplate Stacker is the result of BioTek’s years of experience in microplate automation. Through its com- patibility with a range of detection and liq- uid handling systems, the BioStack offers life science laboratories increased through- put for a variety of applications in genomics, proteomics, drug discovery and clinical diagnostics. The BioStack Twister II is available when a ‘pick and place’ robot- ic arm is needed. BioTek also works close- ly with robotics companies to provide BioTek component instruments to their robotic workstations.


A focus on end-user applications BioTek is committed to enabling cus- tomer’s applications with its instrumenta- tion. It has numerous collaborations with reagent vendors and its own end-users to validate applications using BioTek instru- mentation. Applications it has demonstrat- ed recently include kinase and metabolic enzyme profiling, active and passive drug transport and signal transduction assays in various cell types including primary human cells.


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