Acquisition of a Robotic Liquid Handler

描述（由申请人提供）：VCU已经建立了一个斑点阵列设施下，由医学院和梅西癌症中心赞助和支持的当前核酸研究设施的保护伞。 该核心的持续发展的关键是获得一个机器人液体处理器，用于处理和纯化点样PCR产物。我们选择购买Beckman Biomek FX机器人液体处理工作站。 已经可用于支持该设施的“核心”仪器包括：（1）四台DNA热循环仪，两台96孔和两台384孔仪器;（2）罗宾斯Hydra 96通道移液系统;（3）BioRobotics，Inc. MicroGrid II阵列系统（4）GSI Lumenics ScanArray 4000标准生物芯片扫描系统;（5）生物信息学计算核心实验室和软件;（6）用于克隆存储的超低温冷冻机（3）。该仪器位于一个新装修的约500平方英尺的实验室，由一位博士维护。一级研究助理教授（达雷尔马洛尼博士），和一个技术助理。这个微阵列核心是由NIH SIG（Buck PI）和各种大学来源（生命科学，医学院，梅西癌症中心）的资金建立的。仪器维护资金由用户退款费、医学院、梅西癌症中心和VCU生命科学提供。 我们业务的限速阶段现在是准备用于点样的PCR产物。 我们的Robbins仪器功能不够全面，我们必须为此应用获得一台Robotic Liquid Spectrometer。事实上，我们的定点阵列服务一直受到缺乏多功能机器人液体阵列的限制。我们已经检查了多家公司（Packard，Tecan，Beckman，Qiagen等）的机器人液体处理器，并选择收购Beckman Biomek FX机器人液体处理工作站。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): VCU has established a Spotted Arraying Facility under the umbrella of the current Nucleic Acids Research Facilities sponsored and supported by the School of Medicine and the Massey Cancer Center. Critical to the continued advancement of this Core is the acquisition of a Robotic Liquid Handler for processing and purifying PCR products for spotting. We have elected to purchase a Beckman Biomek FX Robotic Liquid Handling Workstation. 'Core' instrumentation already available to support this facility includes: (1) Four DNA Thermocyclers, two 96 well and two 384 well instruments; (2) Robbins Hydra 96 Channel Pipetting Systems; (3) A BioRobotics, Inc. MicroGrid II Arraying System; (4) A GSI Lumenics ScanArray 4000 Standard Biochip Scanning System; (5) The Bioinformatics Computational Core Laboratory and software; (6) Ultra Low Temperature Freezers (3) for clone storage. This instrumentation is located in a newly renovated about 500 ft2 laboratory, maintained by a Ph.D. level research assistant professor (Dr. Darrell Mallonee), and a technical assistant. This MicroArraying Core was established with funds from an NIH SIG (Buck PI), and from a variety of University sources (Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Massey Cancer Center). Funds for maintenance of the instrumentation are provided by user chargeback fees, the School of Medicine, Massey Cancer Center, and VCU Life Sciences. The rate-limiting phase of our operations is now preparation of PCR products for spotting. Our Robbins instrument is not sufficiently versatile, and we must acquire a Robotic Liquid Handler for this application. In fact, our spotted arraying services have been limited by the lack of a versatile Robotic Liquid Handler. We have examined Robot Liquid Handlers from multiple companies (Packard, Tecan, Beckman, Qiagen, etc.), and have opted to acquire the Beckman Biomek FX Robotic Liquid Handling Workstation.