The push to increase throughput and miniaturize assays has resulted in the need to be able to dispense sub-microliter volumes of liquids accurately and precisely. But dispensing such small volumes can pose a special challenge for scientists. Liquid handling on this scale needs to be extremely accurate and precise but accuracy and precision is especially difficult to achieve with small volumes. This article will outline some of the problems you may run into with dispensing small volumes and how an automated liquid handler can help you overcome those problems.
Multiple sources of variability
One of the issues that all labs face when trying to dispense small volumes is that as the volumes you dispense get smaller the training requirements for proper manual liquid handling become greater. The variations that can result from errors in manual pipetting mean that you not only have to deal with experiment to experiment errors but also researcher to researcher errors within the lab. Add to this the use of high-density plates, which often accompanies sub-microliter liquid volumes and which require an additional level of complexity, and the potential for error with manual pipetting becomes great. And finally, to top it all off, small variations in laboratory temperature and humidity can have a great effect on liquid handling at such small volumes.
Benefits of automation
With so many variables affecting such an important process, choosing the proper solution for small volume handling in your lab is incredibly important. This is why many labs have turned to automated liquid handling systems to add improved consistency and increased efficiency to your lab processes.
One of the primary benefits of automated liquid handlers is that they remove both person-to-person and day-to-day variability. And they generally accomplish this with less training than is required to manually dispense sub-microliter volumes. They also allow for integration with other processing instruments. By doing this automated liquid handlers can be optimized to achieve better results and can automatically be calibrated according to factors such as liquid type.
Will you benefit from automation?
How do you know if automated liquid handling is right for you? Here are some clues that you might benefit from such a system:
- Are you looking to increase your throughput and reduce variability, such as when working with miniaturized assays?
- Are you looking to increase traceability and would therefore benefit from a use log that many automated liquid handlers can generate?
- Do you want to increase the efficiency and pace of work in your lab and free up technician time from doing the labor-intensive and repetitive work of manually pipetting small volumes?
- Are you working with high-density plates and/or expensive reagents in small volumes?
Choosing the right automated liquid handler
Once you have decided that you want to make the leap, it is very important to choose the correct automated liquid handler. There are lots of variables to consider but here are some tips for choosing one:
- Make sure that its capacity fits your needs. If you will be dispensing larger volumes such as tens of microliters, you will not need a system that goes to nano- or picoliters.
- Consider the running costs and any consumables that you need to buy. Is it an open system that can use any consumables, or are there proprietary consumables that must be used?
- What is the hands-on time needed to run the system? Can you just press a button and walk away, or do you need to be engaged with the system while it is running?
- What are the calibration requirements for the system? How often does it need to be calibrated and what does that process involve?
- What is the footprint of the machine? How much bench space does it take up? Is it portable?
- What add-on capabilities are you interested in? These can include a shaker, barcode reader, tip wash, integration with robotics, etc.
- Is the system fully automated or semi automated? Is the liquid handling portion fully controlled? If it is not, there is more possibility for error as with manual pipetting.
And always remember, you should ask for a demo of any system you are considering purchasing so that you can be sure it fully addresses all of your needs.
Related Products from: Thermo Fisher Scientific