Acquisition of a Robotic Liquid Handler

描述（由申请人提供）：VCU在目前由医学院和梅西癌症中心赞助和支持的核酸研究设施的保护下建立了一个斑点阵列设施。关键是这个核心的持续进步是收购一个机器人液体处理处理和纯化PCR产品的斑点。我们已经决定购买Beckman Biomek FX机器人液体处理工作站。可用于支持该设施的“核心”仪器包括：(1)四个DNA热循环仪，两个96孔和两个384孔仪器；(2)罗宾斯Hydra 96通道移液系统；(3) A biorobots, Inc.；微电网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及软件；(6)超低温冷冻机(3)用于克隆储存。该仪器位于一个新装修的约500平方英尺的实验室，由博士级研究助理教授（Dr. Darrell Mallonee）和一名技术助理维护。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。仪器的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。我们操作的限速阶段现在是准备PCR产品的斑点。我们的罗宾斯仪器不够通用，我们必须为这种应用购买一个机器人液体处理机。事实上，由于缺乏多功能机器人液体处理机，我们的斑点阵列服务受到了限制。我们考察了多家公司（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.