Instruments

MaxGENESYS has a variety of advanced laboratory automation instruments. Each instrument acts as an independent module providing maximum flexibility for your projects. Our team provides instrument training and support to all facility users. We have several established workflows and are constantly developing new workflows to suit project needs. Below is an overview of existing equipment and examples for its usage. If any of the equipment may be relevant for your project, please contact us at MaxGENESYS@mpi-marburg.mpg.de .

Echo650T & Echo525

• Acoustic liquid handlers with rapid, contact-free transfers down to 2.5 nL.
• Save reagents by miniaturizing PCRs, DNA assemblies and assay reactions to 0.5 to 2 μL.
• Easily re-array samples into 96, 384 and 1536 plates.
• Rapidly normalize samples with custom transfer lists.
• The Echo650T can hand DMSO and transfer from source tubes.

ViaFlo Pipetting Station

• Semi-automated pipetting across reservoirs and plates with 24, 96 and 384 wells.
• Interchangeable pipetting heads to suit your needs.
• 24-channel heads: 10 to 1250 μL.
• 96-channel heads: 5 to 1250 μL.

PIXL Colony Picker

• Automated colony detection, selection and picking. Pick into solid or liquid media in 96, 384 and 1536 formats.
• Compatible with different source plate types:
• 120 mm square, 90 mm and 150 mm petri dishes, Singer plus plates.
• Select colonies by color, fluorescence or size.  
• Light sources: blue (465-485 nm), cyan (490-510 nm), green (520-540 nm), violet1 (380-390 nm), violet 2 (400-410 nm)
• Available filters: 452/45 nm, 510/20 nm, 527/20 nm, 615/20 nm

Rotor+

• Rapidly replicates culture plates in 96, 384 or 1536 format with reusable pin pads. Compatible with solid and liquid media.

Phenobooth

• Plate analysis and image capture.

Multitron HT Incubator

• Specifically designed for high-throughput plate-based cultures. Two chambers with individual controls. Each holds up to 48 deep well plates or 72 microplates.
• Temperature control: 5°C to 65°C.
• Shaking: 3 mm throw, 20 rpm to 1000 rpm.
• Humidity control: 10-85%
• One chamber has LED lights and CO2 control for phototrophic cultures

LabChip GX II Touch HT

• Automated nucleic acid and protein analysis on a microfluidics chip. Accepts samples in 96 and 384 well plates.
• RNA assays: RNA standard RNA assay, Pico RNA assay, Small RNA assay
• DNA assays: Plasmid DNA assay, DNA 1K assay, DNA 5K assay, DNA 12K assay, DNA high sensitivity assay, Genomic DNA assay, NGS 3K assay, cfDNA.
• Protein assays: Pico protein assay, Protein low molecular weight assay, Glycan profiling assay, Protein charge variant assay, Protein express assay, Protein Clear™ assay, ProteinEXact™ assay.

Nanodrop8000

• Fast and accurate quantification of DNA, RNA and proteins with only 1-2 μL of sample. Process eight samples in 20 seconds. Samples can be loaded with an 8-channel pipette. The 96-well plate guide helps track your samples.

QIAcube connect

• Automated plasmid miniprep, PCR clean up and more. Process 2-12 samples with QIAGEN spin-column kits.

QIAcube HT

• Automated DNA and RNA extractions. Process 24-96 samples with QIAGEN kits.

ProFlex PCR Systems

• Perform PCRs in tubes or 96 and 384 well plates.

QuantStudio5 Real-Time PCR

• Real-time PCR in 96 and 384 well plates.

ARI Cobra Nano Dispenser

• Contact-free dispensing across 1-4 channels in the range of 300 nL to 5 µL.
• Single-channel bulk dispensing can be performed from a 1 L bottle.

FastPrep 96 Lysis System

• Bead-beating grinder and lysis system capable of processing up to 192 samples in 2 x 96 deep well plates.
• 1800 oscillations/min and 1.5-inch stroke.

Plateloc Thermal Microplate Sealer

• Automated thermal sealer compatible with deep well, PCR and assay plates.

Infinite M Nano+

• Dual-mode plate reader for absorbance and fluorescence. Capable of short-term plate shaking.

CLARIOstar Plus

• Multi-mode plate reader for absorbance, fluorescence and luminescence. Capable of long-term plate shaking for growth curves. Two in-built reagent injectors with dispensing volumes of 3 to 500 µL per well.

MiniSeq

• Illumina NGS Sequencer.
• Output range: 1.65-7.5 Gb
• Single reads per run: 8M-25M
• Maximum read length: 2 × 150 bp
• Run time: 424 hr

STARlet with [MPE]²

• Automated pipetting robot with 8-pipetting channels and a [MPE]2 positive pressure manifold. Ideal for extractions with filters or column plates.

Microlab STAR

• Automated pipetting robot with UV sterilization and HEPA filters to protect your samples. 96-channel and 8-channel pipetting. On-deck thermocycler and magnetic racks. Compatible with tubes, racks and reservoirs.

OT-2 Pipetting Robot

• Customizable automated pipetting robot with UV sterilization and HEPA filters to protect your samples. Single-channel and 8-channel pipetting. You can access open-source protocols online or develop your own with python.
• Single-channel pipettes: P20, P300 and P1000
• Multi-channel pipettes: P20 and P300
• On deck accessories: Heater shaker module and temperature module for tubes and plates.