Lab automation for GeneChips

Ebersburg, Germany-based MWG Biotech has accomplished the first full automation of DNA microarray sample preparation of Affymetrix' GeneChip DNA microarrays on THEONYX, MWG's laboratory automation platform.

MWG's international product manager for genomic technology, Simon May, said that there were around 600 users of the GeneChips microarrays who could benefit from the automation solution.

"We expect to meet a great demand for these units,"​ he said. "The new application puts MWG Biotech AG at the forefront of lab automation."​

Prior to the introduction of this new application DNA microarray sample preparation consisted of difficult and time-consuming manual protocols, according to MWG. The new system automates all steps of the process from isolating whole RNA to cRNA synthesis and to purification.

The yields of cRNA produced with the automated protocols compare favourably against traditional manual methods run in tandem and processed samples have been shown to hybridise successfully to Affymetrix GeneChips, yielding data fully comparable to existing manual methods.

MWG​ said it had filed a patent application for the work.