LABORATORY AUTOMATION
The future of automated IFA diagnostics
Jorn Voigt discusses the latest innovations in indirect immunofluorescence assay diagnostics and how they can help laboratories meet growing diagnostic demands.
Laboratories today face increasing pressure from staff shortages while demand for indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) diagnostic testing continues to rise. Traditional manual slide incubation requires skilled personnel who can perform each procedural step accurately and consistently. Reliable microscopic evaluation of the fluorescence paterns also depends heavily on operator expertise and experience. In addition, the subjective nature of interpretation can result in variability in reporting between personnel and across laboratories. To help laboratories overcome these issues, Euroimmun has pioneered a
broad range of automation solutions over the decades, enabling laboratory staff to stay ahead of their increasing workloads while maintaining high diagnostic quality. Major technologies for IFA include BIOCHIP Mosaic slides, TITERPLANE Technique, MERGITE wash technology, LED-based microscopy and AI-enhanced evaluation software, among others. Since their introduction – from the 1980s through to the present day – each of these proprietary technologies has contributed significantly to improving the efficiency, standardisation and reliability of IFA workflows. Importantly, these innovations remain state of the art and continue to form
the foundation of the most advanced automation solutions.
Streamlining IFA analysis BIOCHIP Mosaic technology combines miniature sections of different cell, tissue and antigen-dot substrates within the reaction fields of a microscope slide. This enables simultaneous analysis of multiple substrates, generating comprehensive antibody profiles for minimal hands-on effort.
The TITERPLANE technique is a
gravity-assisted incubation technology that prevents evaporation and artefact formation while ensuring a synchronised start of all reactions. Diluted samples are pipeted into hydrophilic fields on a glass reagent tray, preventing sample spreading or mixing. Once all samples are applied, slides with BIOCHIPs are placed face-down onto the tray. This ensures that every BIOCHIP
contacts its sample at the exact same moment, meaning that incubation times are fully standardised and variability in reaction intensity is eliminated. MERGITE technology provides
controlled liquid flow during slide washing, minimising the risk of cross- contamination and protecting the delicate substrates from damage. The autoregulating long-life LED illumination system is a core feature of all Euroimmun IFA microscopes. It provides consistent signal intensity at low power consumption, improving both reproducibility and cost-efficiency. These microscopes also incorporate high- resolution cameras with laser autofocus technology, enabling exceptionally fast image acquisition. System performance is verified by daily automated checks using a fluorescence standard that standardises light brightness, and a focus standard that maintains focusing accuracy.
The EUROPatern Microscope Live is designed for small- and medium-sized laboratories to record and view IFA images directly at the computer screen.
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WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM October 2026
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