MED


MEDICAL EQU PMENUIPI MENT


I INDU


NDUSTRY FOCUS


Life scientists use robots to test cells by the billion


Life scientists use rob to test cells by the bil


An autom ted pri


stage devel pment of potenti nervous systemand i


on ( AA) Bui around a


lion ots


An automated primary antibody screen ng w rkcell for early stage development of potential new treatments for central nervous system and immunology disorders has been designed and built for UCB by Farnborough-based Peak Analysis and Aut


ary antibody screeniing workcell for early l n


treatments for cen ral nology disorders has been designed


and bui t for UCB by Farnborough-based Peak Analysi and Automation (PAA). Built around a Mitsubishi Electric robot, the workcell speeds up the process of antibody discovery by allowing the screeni g of b


tsubish Electric robot, th


rkcel speeds up the process of antibody discovery by al the screening of biillions of antibody produc g B cel


ns of antibody produciing B cells T As m


o becom a therapeutic candi ate, an ant body is required to have m ny desirable properties. As more is understood about the bioch


under tood about the biochemical and the area of antibody discovery; th


chal nges f re antibodies


tib to


o become a therapeutic candidate, an antiibody requi ed to have many desirable properties. cal and


biophysical properties of antibodies, so the l st of desirable properties becomes longer. This quest for ble properties produces m


st suita le


biophysical properties of antibodies, so the list of desirable properties becom s l nger. Thi quest for desidesirable properties produces more challenges for the area of antibody discovery; more antibodies need to be screened, tested and assessed, to allow th selectio


progr ss. The process i underpinned by the car design and selection of appropriate primary andary and secondary screening assay.secondary screening assay. rkcell o


The workcell operates by combiining high- co o sin le tig nin


usi g a propr etary technique known as the 'fluorescent foci' method. The robot facilitates extremely efficient interrogation of the natural antibo


thod. T e robot facilitates llio tib


extremely efficient i terrogati n of the natural antibody repertoire. In a typical early stage scre


cel s can be screened to find the ones w th som of the desirable properties, a number that would be all but unibut unimaginable if manual techniques were used. “The workcell’s efficient sampling allows the discovery of those few antibodies,


screeniing campaign,, a biillion antibody produciing B cells can be screened to find the ones with some of the desirable properties, a num er that w uld be al agi abl


n ca


rep rtoire. In a typ cal early stage a


n nual techniques w re used.


“The w rkcell’ efficient sam ling allow th discovery of those few antibodies, which have required characteristics,” explains Dr Malcolm Crook of PAA.


h have


requi ed characteristi s,” explains Dr M ol Crook of PAA.


“The r bot has to m nipulate mcropl tes containing the cel s between sever wor me


mu mo me y t is h “The robot has to manipulate microplates


containing the cells between several work stations, each time using a multi axis movement. It also has to synchronise its movements with other functions thin the w rkcell.”


stati ns,


to synch onise its m vem nts w th oth r functions within the workcell.” tsu ish ro


six axes of m vement. Furt it ca


The Mitsubishi robot is highlly dexterous, having six axes of movement. Further, for this appllication it has been mounted on a ballscrew-driven travel se so th


s, h r, for this a thin the w rkcell to per or ica io


has been m unted on a bal screw dri en travel base so that it can move between two locations within the workcell to perform different tasks.


ve b tween tw locatio di


nt tasks.


thr ughput cel cul ure screeni g and i enti cation with the isolatiion of single antigen speciific B celllsls using a proprietary technique known as the orescent foci


throughput cell culture screening and identification th th iso


sp fic


bot's ownm tion axes, usi g a Mitsubishi SSCNet high speed motion control network. PAA fitted the robot with a standalone controller with which the SSCNet is integrated, although Mitsubishi also uniquely offers robots that can be controlled via an iintegrated PLC rack-mounted robot controller.roller. The robot is a Mitsubishi modell RV7-FLM-D1-S15,15 a unit that is popular for a range of applications from life sciences and preciision assemblly toy to manufacturing and materials handling. It weighs in at less than 67kg, but can lift 7kg, has a reach of over 900m and a positioni g accuracy of


Thiis linear movement is fully integrated with the robot's own motion axes, using a Mtsubi hi SSCNet high speedm tion control network. PA fitted th wi


s lin r m da ne SSCNet i


uniquely of ntegrated ro


rack- is fully inte nt wi th th whi h t t is a life scie


tegrated, although Mtsubi hi also bots that can be contr ed robot co R


tsu ish


a unit that i popular fro


a r nge of appl ati ns sio


se nufacturing andm terials handl g. hs i


at less than 6 kg, but can lift 7kg, h s a reach of over 900mm and a positioning accuracy of Its w ist axis can rotate through s it a


ic l- rkin o fica tly this ro t m is rate to IP can be used i dem ndi g envi


need to be screened, tested and assessed, to allow the selection of the most suitable antibodies to progress. The process is underpinned by the careful design and sel cti n of appropr ate pr


and torque. nments.


offers very fast cycle tim s and has m ny safety features such as settablfeatures such as settable limits for speed, position and torque.


Crook again: “The wor cel


s, th lo


not onl


0.02mm. Its waist axis can rotate through ±240deg,40deg, which gives it an alll-around working envellope. Signiificantly this robot modell is rated to IP67, so can be used in demanding environments. It alsoalso offers very fast cycle times and has many safety limts for speed, position


, so


Crook again: “The workcell is not only for human- targeted research but for the creation of research tools for proof-of-concept projects. Like al of our syste


for hum n-


targeted research but for the creation of research tools for proof-of-concept projects. Like all of our systems, the workcell is very flexible and shoulld have a long working life as it can be easily reconfigured for new projects.” key benefit of the antibo


rkcell is v ry fle ible rkin life


it ca conf ured f new projects. that it reduces the tim requi ed to i entify


A key benefit of the antibody discovery workcell is that it reduces the time required to identify


sco rkcell is


potentipotential candidate antibodies compared to manual methods and thus delivers useful starting points omwhi h to al w subsequent discovery of therapies and treatments in the dow stream antibody discovery process far qui ker than was o


candi ate antibodies com ared to m nual thods and thus del ers useful starting poi ts from which to allow subsequent discovery of therapies and treatments in the downstream antibody discovery process far quicker than was previiously possible. It also alllows mulltiple projects to be carried out in parallel, thus addressing a broad spectrum of disease mediators.


ly to be car arge n d out i


ssible. It a so par


o tiple broad spectrumof disease m diators.


Crook sum up: “Only by starting with a ver llarge number of cells is it possible to identify those few antibodies in early stage screening from which new treatments can be subsequently developed and only robotic autom tion ma process.” The Mtsubi hi ro


few antibodies i


Crook sums up: “Only by starting with a very er o cells is it p ssible to identify th early stage screeni g from


new treatments can be subsequentl devel ped and only robotic automation makes this a viable process.” The Mitsubishi model RV7-FLM-D1-S15 robot proviides speed,, flexibility, ease of integratiion and simplicity of programming for laboratory work and a wide range of other applications.


t p d sp an sim licity of p


fle ibility ram


Mitsu ishtsubishi Electric E rotric Europe T: 01707 288769T: 01707 288769


/AUTOMAT /AUTOMA ION ATION


del RV7-FLM D1-S15 se


inte and a wide r nge of other appl ati ns. gb3a.mitsubishielectric.com gb3a.mitsubishielectric.com


 +44 (0)161 974 3250 uk-sales@elobau.com www.elobau.com


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