qPCR
Reducing cost through assay miniaturization and non-contact liquid handling.
Bioink Development
Develop and characterize the next generation biomaterials
Tissue Models & Engineering
Engineering Tissue-Specific Models
Introduction
Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a powerful method to detect and quantify specific RNA or DNA sequences. Using this technique, specific regions within a DNA or complementary DNA (cDNA) template can be amplified to many thousands of copies using sequence-specific primers, heat-stable DNA polymerase and a thermo cycler. While the product is analyzed using gel electrophoresis in traditional PCR, qPCR enables the collection of data during the PCR process by labeling the DNA using either fluorescent dyes or fluorescently labeled probes.
Reducing cost per datapoint
Due to expensive reagents, the cost for qPCR assays fluctuates with the number of samples and the working volume. Assay miniaturization with our I.DOT low-volume liquid-handling technology significantly reduces cost for reagents. In addition, the I.DOT does not require pipette tips. The I.DOT enables precise reagent dosage in the nanoliter volume range. qPCR reactions can be easily scaled down to sub-microliter volumes in 384- or 1536-well plates.
Reducing timelines and increasing reproducibility
With the I.DOT instrument, preparation of a 384-well plate for qPCR can be performed in under 5 minutes. Multiple liquid combinations and volumes can be assembled using the eight dispensing channels at the same time. In addition to the unlimited combinatory potential and fast performance, the non-contact dispensing technology can be easily integrated into automated workflows that use plate-handling robots. For even higher throughput 1536- and 3456-well plates can be used.
