SPECIAL FOCUS: MICROPLATE READERS
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lthough they aren’t necessarily the most exciting weapons in
the lab technician’s armoury, microplates and their associated readers nonetheless remain a highly valuable part of everyday lab operations. Among the various technical trends and new applications in the sector, there is also the overwhelming trend that can be observed across all lab equipment right now: the need for the products themselves to be ever smaller. Here, we catch up with some experts in microplate technology to gain an overview of the current market and hear how they are responding to industry demands.
High-throughput screening High-throughput screening (HTS) in microplate readers is especially used in drug discovery and relevant to the pharmaceutical industry as well as academic core facilities. HTS allows researchers to quickly conduct millions of chemical, biochemical or pharmacological tests and establish a basis for
drug design. To maximise efficiency, screening facilities must constantly strive to increase throughput and minimise sample expenditure, while controlling costs. Tis leads to the key factors in HTS, which are highest speed and flexibility without compromising in sensitivity. Dr Tobias Pusterla from BMG Labtech explains that, “To meet these requirements, we developed the new multi-mode microplate Pherastar FSX reader. Tis reader was specifically conceived for fast read times, advanced sensitivity and excellent flexibility.” Pusterla explains that
that the trend towards assay miniaturisation for high- throughput requires the ability to measure the smallest possible quantity. “Te outstanding sensitivity of the Pherastar FSX is based on an innovative optical design that is composed of a free air optical path, three independent light sources, simultaneous dual emission detection and high transmission filters.” He adds: “To ensure the best performance for any HTS assay the reader comes
with a high energy xenon flash lamp, a special laser for Alpha Technology and the next-generation laser for TRF/ TR-FRET. Te new TRF laser with a frequency of 60 flashes per second increases throughput and precision of measurement and allows for a full 1536-well plate to be measured in only 36 seconds.” Numerous HTS assays
require detection of two emission wavelengths. For this reason, BMG Labtech pioneered the technique of simultaneous dual emission detection for microplate readers. Pusterla says: “Tanks to this and two pairs of matched photomultiplier tubes (PMT) detectors, the Pherastar FSX can simultaneously detect two separate emission wavelengths in one single measurement. Tis offers a speed advantage by cutting read times in half. Moreover, simultaneous dual emission corrects flash-to-flash variations, photobleaching, decaying kinetic signals, or fluctuating conditions such as temperature, pH and evaporation. Simultaneous
In response to global demand for its products, BMG Labtech has built a new building that’s designed to double the manufacturing area and provide new space for warehouse capacities, R&D and its planned job growth
Left: The new Pherastar FSX multi-mode microplate reader from BMG Labtech
Latest reader empowers research O
ne recent launch sets out to offer tailor-made solutions to suit “virtually any drug discovery or
advanced life science research application.” The Spark 20M multimode microplate reader from Tecan is a freely configurable system that gives researchers access to new techniques and features intended to enhance and streamline biochemical and cell-based workflows. At the heart of the instrument are
Fusion Optics and a powerful, high frequency xenon flash lamp, which can be combined with the user’s choice of high performance detection modules to ensure a perfect match for their
workflow. Options include an enhanced fluorescence module designed to improve sensitivity and increase the speed of high-throughput screening, and the newly developed Te-Cool cooling module that allows the measurement chamber temperature to be set below the ambient room temperature for more accurate and reliable results. The Spark 20M’s cell handling capabilities have also been extended with a new automated cell imaging and confluence measurement feature. This allows incubation and monitoring of cell culture microplates within the measurement chamber, enabling the
user to define the confluence at which the assay starts/ends or the substrate is injected, for optimal assay results and greater walkaway operation.
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