Why Automation is Integral to the EU-OPENSCREEN Compound Collection

| 1 CASE STUDY EU-OPENSCREEN COMPOUND HANDLING & DRUG SCREENING Summary EU-OPENSCREEN’s compound storage and management facility stores and distributes copies of an extensive chemical compound collection to its partner sites. In order to perform this task, the facility is equipped with an automated, integrated system consisting of thirteen instruments, including a Hamilton Verso® Compound Management System and two Hamilton Microlab® STAR(let) liquid handlers. The full system is controlled by the Hamilton VENUS® software, and the instruments’ positions are physically reached via the HMotion Robotic Arm. In this Case Study, we describe how this system is used to produce over 1.5 million compound aliquots of the EUOPENSCREEN Compound Collection for High-Throughput Screening (HTS) studies at EU-OPENSCREEN partner sites. About EU-OPENSCREEN ERIC EU-OPENSCREEN is a not-for-profit European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) for chemical biology and early drug discovery, established in 2018. The consortium supports all stages of a chemical tool development project, including assay adaptation, HTS, and chemical optimization of the resulting ‘hit’ compounds. Moreover, it operates an openaccess database and a unique, common compound collection of over 100,000 compounds (EU-OPENSCREEN: Compound Collections). Dr. Philip Gribbon, General Director of EU-OPENSCREEN commented: “EU-OPENSCREEN is committed to enhancing Europe’s global standing in both scientific research and economic development. Our services provide crucial data that helps to identify and discard false positives from screening processes, enabling the selection of promising compounds for further refinement. This process ensures that outcomes from screening campaigns are robust, consistent, and comparable, thereby contributing to the establishment of high standards in early-stage drug discovery and preclinical research.” As an organization dedicated to advancing research and drug development in Europe, EU-OPENSCREEN operates as a distributed research infrastructure, which today counts more than 30 partner sites across Europe (Figure 1). Compound Handling at EU-OPENSCREEN The EU-OPENSCREEN compound storage and management facility is located at the headquarters in Berlin-Buch, Germany, and currently has 16 employees. This facility is in charge of supplying compounds to all partner sites. David Garcia Lopez, current Head of Compound Management at EUOPENSCREEN, commented: “Our main job is to maintain our compound collection and provide screening sites with copies of this collection in high-throughput formats, such as 384-well and 1536-well plates. This task demands extensive automation to achieve very high throughput, while ensuring compound stability and traceability.” Authors: : Edgar Specker1 , David Garcia Lopez1 *, Victoria Mora1 , Sophie Masin1 , Thomas Zacher², Karim Benyaa2 , Carolina Elejalde3 , Gabriela Boza-Moran3 * 1 EU-OPENSCREEN ERIC, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, Building C87, D-13125 Berlin Germany ² Hamilton Germany GmbH, Lochhamer Schlag 11, DE-82166 Gräfelfing, Germany 3 Hamilton Bonaduz AG (Robotics), Via Crusch 8, 7402 Bonaduz, Switzerland * for correspondence: david.garcia.lopez@eu-openscreen.eu and mboza-moran@hamilton.ch Automating Compound Handling to Enable HighThroughput Screening of the EU-OPENSCREEN Compound Collection Across Europe | 2 Compound Handling Automation To satisfy the requirements for throughput, flexibility, and reliability of the Compound Management facility at EUOPENSCREEN, a highly-integrated automated system was designed and implemented. Dr. Edgar Specker, former Head of Compound Management at EU-OPENSCREEN, commented: “Given that compound management involves many tasks such as storing, capping/decapping, plate sealing/peeling and liquid transfer, we were looking for automation solutions that allowed us to easily integrate multiple devices. Moreover, we were looking for vendors with an established reputation that could offer us the support we needed to achieve the required level of complexity. Hamilton emerged as the ideal partner”. System Overview The automated system for compound handling consists of a Hamilton Verso® M2 Compound Management System, integrated via an HMotion Robotic Arm with a Hamilton Microlab® STAR™ and Microlab® STARlet liquid handler, a LabElite® Integrated I.D. Capper, and a centrifuge, a LiCONiC LPX880 Plate Hotel, a Beckman Coulter Echo 650 Acoustic liquid handler, an Azenta’s Life Sciences IntelliXCap deCapper, automated Plate Seal Remover (formerly XPeel), and Ziath DP5 Mirage Rack Reader, a LVL fully-automatic SAFE Capper/DeCapper and an Agilent PlateLoc Thermal Microplate Sealer. In total, 13 instruments are integrated into this automated system (Figure 2). Mr. Karim Benyaa, the Hamilton Robotics International Project Leader in charge of this project, explained how these instruments communicate with each other: “Over the last fifteen years, Hamilton has gathered much experience when it comes to integrating third-party devices and developing complex automated workflows. We have also developed a communication strategy for the easy integration of our liquid handlers into other complex systems, together with integrator companies. In the case of EU-OPENSCREEN, the largest and most complex instruments controlling the complete process are Hamilton systems. One of the major advantages is the direct communication of VENUS®, Hamilton’s automated liquid handling software, with INSTINCT® S, Hamilton’s automated sample management software. For the integration of all the other instruments (i.e. third-party devices), we developed customized drivers and integrated them into Hamilton VENUS® software, which functions as the central hub.” Services provided by EU-OPENSCREEN: • HTS of in-house/open-access compound collection, using dedicated established or on-demand bioassays • Screening of proprietary compounds against a wide range of biological assays to identify new biological activities and novel potential applications • Development of chemical probes and lead compounds • Optimization of ‘hits’ or candidates • Publication of all compound structures and large-scale open-access screening data in EU-OPENSCREEN’s openaccess European Chemical Biology Database (ECBD) (https://ecbd.eu) • Training on topics such as assay development, assay technologies, instrumentation and automation, compound management, and informatics • Finding and securing grants with partners • Establishment and maintenance of collaborations with industrial partners Learn more about EU-OPENSCREEN services here: www.eu-openscreen.eu/index.html Figure 1. Network of EU-OPENSCREEN Partner Sites. Green: Full member country; Light Green: Observer country. www.eu-openscreen.eu/about/partner-sites.html Figure 2. System Overview. (1) Hamilton Verso® M2 Compound Management System, (2) LVL fully-automatic SAFE Capper/DeCapper, (3) Space for additional stacked devices, (4) Hamilton HMotion Robotic Arm, (5) LiCONiC LPX880 Plate Hotel, (6) Hamilton Microlab® STAR liquid handler, (7) Azenta’s Life Sciences Ziath DP5 Mirage Rack Reader (8) Agilent PlateLoc Thermal Microplate Sealer, (9) Hamilton Centrifuge, (10) Azenta’s Life Sciences Automated Plate Seal Remover, (11) Azenta’s Life Sciences IntelliXCap DeCapper, (12) Beckman Coulter Echo 650 Acoustic liquid handler, (13) Hamilton LabElite® Integrated I.D. Capper, and (14) Hamilton Microlab® STARlet liquid handler. 1 2 3 4 5 6 14 13 9 7 10 8 11 12 | 3 Hamilton Compound Storage Overview The Verso® M2 at EU-OPENSCREEN is a 3.8 by 2.2 meter -20 °C storage system. It consists of one aisle with one tray shuttle, a universal picker, an Input/Output module, a handoff module, a video recording system with three cameras, a 1D and a 2D Barcode Reader, and an active thawing module (Figure 3). Samples can be (un)loaded manually via the front Input/Output module, in addition to the automatic (un)loading via the rear hand-off module. The Verso® handles a wide range of labware types, including tubes, vials, and plates. Hamilton Liquid Handlers Overview The Hamilton Microlab® STAR™ system has eight 1000 µl pipetting channels, a CO-RE® 96 Multi-Probe Head, a CO-RE® Gripper Tool (for on-deck transports), and a variety of plate and tip positions (Figure 4). The Microlab® STARlet has four 1000 µL pipetting channels, two 5000 µL pipetting channels, a CO-RE® 384 Multi-Probe Head, a CO-RE® Gripper Tool, four Hamilton Heater Shakers, one 1D Barcode Reader, and a variety of plate and tip positions. Moreover, the LabElite® Integrated I.D. Capper, next to the Microlab® STARlet, is equipped with a Linear Transfer Unit (i.e., a rail), Tube Picker (inside of the Verso®) Active Thawing / (manual) Input/Output Module Rear Hand-off Module (for integration) 2D Barcode Scanning (inside of the Verso®) Sample Storage (inside of the Verso®) Picker Window (Viewing and Service) Helpful Definitions Method: A series of steps programmed to run sequentially and uninterrupted, designed to perform a specific task or process. Workflow: A structured set of methods, whose sequence can vary to accomplish a broader or more complex objective. | 4 which can bring plates directly from the LabElite® position for decapping and scanning to a “deck pipetting position” (Figure 5). Both systems can use Nested Tip Racks (NTRs), which allow tip stacking to increase the number of tips on the deck without compromising the deck space. Before tips are picked up, they are transported to a designated “tip pickup position” via the CO-RE® Gripper Tool. The STARlet also uses conventional tips in frame racks. Description of the Automated Methods Currently, ten automated methods are integrated into the system, each using different combinations of instruments: 1. Compound dissolution and aliquoting 2. Compounds (un)loading to/from -20 °C storage 3. Compound reformatting (96-Tube Racks to 384-Well Plates) 4. Plate Stamping 5. Plate Replication 6. Cherry Picking 7. Quality Control for liquid transfer 8. Sample Prep for LC-MS 9. Serial Dilutions 10. Compound reformatting (384 to 1536-Well Plates) Dr. Specker commented: “The methods were implemented such that we could start them individually whenever needed. The Verso® is used in method 2, the Microlab® STAR™ in methods 3 and 8, and the Microlab® STARlet + LabElite® Decapper in methods 1 and 10. The Echo is used in methods 4 to 7.” The main methods involved in the preparation of the copies of the EU-OPENSCREEN compound collection provided to all partner sites are the first three: Compound dissolution and aliquoting, compounds (un)loading to/from -20 °C storage, and compound reformatting (96-Tube Racks to 384-Well Plates) (Figure 6). Dr. Specker explained the first two methods for compound dissolution and aliquoting in detail: “The EU-OPENSCREEN Compound Collection contains different sublibraries ranging from commercial and structurally diverse compound sets, fragments, bioactive compounds, and constantly growing academic compound collections (https://ecbd.eu). Most of the EU-OPENSCREEN Compound Collection is sourced from commercial vendors (> 100,000 compounds). The commercial compounds are provided as pre-dissolved in DMSO at 10 mM concentration and delivered in 96-Tube Racks (LVL SAFE® 2D Tubes and Racks). The academic compounds, on the other hand, Figure 3. Overview of Verso® M2 Compound Management System at EU-OPENSCREEN. are received as powder and are first added and weighed in 24-tube racks (Micronic’s 6.00ml Screw Cap Tubes) by the chemist before being sent to the EU-OPENSCREEN team. Once the compounds arrive, they are dissolved and aliquoted in the same type of 96-Tube Racks as the commercial compounds, using the automated system. For this, the system PC, via the VENUS® software, is supplied with a .CSV file containing the barcodes of the 24- and 96-Tube Racks, the individual tube positions, and the dispensing volumes for each compound to create a 10 mM DMSO solution. The 24-Tube Racks are then manually loaded into the STARlet + LabElite® system, which scans barcodes, removes 2 1 3 5 4 6 7 8 9 Figure 4: Deck Layout of the Hamilton Microlab® STAR™ System at EU-OPENSCREEN. (1) 4X Deep-Well Plate positions, (2) Active Nest (special position for holding plates requiring piercing or very precise special dispensing like 1536-Well Plates in position), (3) 2X Carriers for Microtiter Plates, (4) 4X Tip pick-up position for the 96-MPH, (5) Tip Park position (for reusing tips), (6) 4X 50µl NTR Carriers, (7) 96-MultiProbe Head, (8) CO-RE® Gripper, (9) Tip Waste Channel. 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Figure 5: Deck Layout of the Hamilton Microlab® STARlet + LabElite® System at EU-OPENSCREEN. (1) LabElite® DeCapper, (2) Orbit 1D Barcode Reader, (3) Deck Pipetting position, (4) Active Nest, (5) Carrier with 5X 1 mL tip positions, (6) Carrier with 3X Microtiter Plate positions (at the back) and 2X Deep-Well Plate positions (at the front) (7) 5 mL Linear Tip Carrier, (8) Trough Carrier (200 mL), (9) 4X Hamilton Heater Shakers, (10) CO-RE® Gripper, (11) Tip Waste for single channels. 3 | 5 the tube caps, and dispenses the required amount of DMSO into each tube. After recapping the 24-Tube Racks, they are shaken and incubated for 1 hour on the on-deck Hamilton Heater Shakers (HHS) to ensure the compounds dissolve properly. The tubes are subsequently decapped, and 1 mL of the 10 mM DMSO solution is transferred into two identical 96-Tube Racks (Figure 7). After this, the 24-racks are recapped using the LabElite® system, manually unloaded and stored in standard freezers at -20 °C. The 96-racks are manually unloaded, recapped with a SAFE® CAP 96 CHANNEL XT Decapper (SAFE® 96 XT Version-Fully Automatic 96-Channel Capper/Decapper), and stored on the Verso® Store at -20 °C via the Input/Output (IO) module”. Before loading the samples into the Verso®, the Verso® database is updated with a .CVS data file generated by the VENUS® software and edited with the KNIME® software (www.knime.com), in order to add more information to the sample barcodes (e.g., volumes and sample/EOS IDs). During loading, the Verso® scans the samples and relays all the information to the Verso® database. When the compounds are requested by the partner sites, these are unloaded from the -20 °C storage and reformatted into 384-Well Plates. Mr. Benyaa explained these methods in detail: “First, the system PC is supplied with a .CVS file containing the barcodes of the tubes to be requested from the Verso®. This information is relayed to the Verso®’s INSTINCT® S software, allowing the Verso® to pick the requested tubes, sort them into racks, and place them on the hand-off slide, where the HMotion Robotic Arm picks them up and transports them to the Plate Hotel. The barcodes and positions of the tubes, rack barcodes, and volumes are pulled from the Verso®’s database and combined with the plate barcodes and requested dispensing volumes, using a customized KNIME® workflow. The resulting .CSV file is then used as input for the reformatting process, which is controlled by the VENUS® software on the STAR™ system PC. -20°C STORAGE UNLOADING COMPOUND REFORMATTING -20°C STORAGE LOADING -20°C STORAGE LOADING COMP. DISSOLUTION & ALIQUOTING ML STARlet ACADEMIC COMPOUNDS 24-Tube Racks Powder ACADEMIC COMPOUNDS 96-Tube Racks 10mM in DMSO ALL COMPOUNDS 96-Tube Racks 10mM in DMSO ALL COMPOUNDS 96-Tube Racks 10mM in DMSO SELECTED COMPOUNDS 384-well Plates 10mM in DMSO SELECTED COMPOUNDS 384-well Plates 10mM in DMSO EU-OPENSCREEN SCREENING SITES -20°C -20°C COMMERCIAL COMPOUNDS -20°C 96-Tube Racks 10mM in DMSO LabElite® I.D. Capper ML STAR Verso® Verso M2 ® M2 Verso® M2 H-Motion LiCONiC LPX880 Plate Hotel | 6 Figure 6: Overview of the main methods involved in the preparation of copies of the EU-OPENSCREEN Compound Collection provided to EU-OPENSCREEN partner sites. For more information, see Figure 9 A E B F C G D H A1 B1 C1 D1 A2 B2 C2 D2 A3 B3 C3 D3 A4 B4 C4 D4 A5 B5 C5 D5 A6 B6 C6 D6 A B C D 24-tube Rack-1 A1 B1 C1 D1 A2 B2 C2 D2 A3 B3 C3 D3 A4 B4 C4 D4 A5 B5 C5 D5 A6 B6 C6 D6 A B C D 24-tube Rack-2 A1 B1 C1 D1 A2 B2 C2 D2 A3 B3 C3 D3 A4 B4 C4 D4 A5 B5 C5 D5 A6 B6 C6 D6 A B C D 24-tube Rack-3 A1 B1 C1 D1 A2 B2 C2 D2 A3 B3 C3 D3 A4 B4 C4 D4 A B C D 24-tube Rack-4 96-tube Rack-2 96-tube Rack-1 A E B F C G D H A E B F C G D H A E B F C G D H A E B F C G D H A E B F C G D H 96-tube Rack-1 384-well Target Plate 1-12 96-tube Rack-2 96-tube Rack-3 96-tube Rack-4 A I E M 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 B J F N C K G O D L H P A1 A1 A2 A2 A3 A3 A4 A4 A5 A5 A6 A6 A7 A7 A8 A8 A9 A9 A10 A10 A11 A11 A1 A1 A2 A2 A3 A3 A4 A4 A5 A5 A6 A6 A7 A7 A8 A8 A9 A9 A10 A10 A11 A11 B1 B1 B2 B2 B3 B3 B4 B4 B5 B5 B6 B6 B7 B7 B8 B8 B9 B9 B10 B10 B11 B11 B1 B1 B2 B2 B3 B3 B4 B4 B5 B5 B6 B6 B7 B7 B8 B8 B9 B9 B10 B10 B11 B11 C1 C1 C2 C2 C3 C3 C4 C4 C5 C5 C6 C6 C7 C7 C8 C8 C9 C9 C10 C10 C11 C11 C1 C1 C2 C2 C3 C3 C4 C4 C5 C5 C6 C6 C7 C7 C8 C8 C9 C9 C10 C10 C11 C11 D1 D1 D2 D2 D3 D3 D4 D4 D5 D5 D6 D6 D7 D7 D8 D8 D9 D9 D10 D10 D11 D11 D1 D1 D2 D2 D3 D3 D4 D4 D5 D5 D6 D6 D7 D7 D8 D8 D9 D9 D10 D10 D11 D11 E1 E1 E2 E2 E3 E3 E4 E4 E5 E5 E6 E6 E7 E7 E8 E8 E9 E9 E10 E10 E11 E11 E1 E1 E2 E2 E3 E3 E4 E4 E5 E5 E6 E6 E7 E7 E8 E8 E9 E9 E10 E10 E11 E11 F1 F1 F2 F2 F3 F3 F4 F4 F5 F5 F6 F6 F7 F7 F8 F8 F9 F9 F10 F10 F11 F11 F1 F1 F2 F2 F3 F3 F4 F4 F5 F5 F6 F6 F7 F7 F8 F8 F9 F9 F10 F10 F11 F11 G1 G1 G2 G2 G3 G3 G4 G4 G5 G5 G6 G6 G7 G7 G8 G8 G9 G9 G10 G10 G11 G11 G1 G1 G2 G2 G3 G3 G4 G4 G5 G5 G6 G6 G7 G7 G8 G8 G9 G9 G10 G10 G11 G11 H1 H1 H2 H2 H3 H3 H4 H4 H5 H5 H6 H6 H7 H7 H8 H8 H9 H9 H10 H10 H11 H11 H1 H1 H2 H2 H3 H3 H4 H4 H5 H5 H6 H6 H7 H7 H8 H8 H9 H9 H10 H10 H11 H11 | 7 Figure 7: Transfer Pattern of the compound dissolution and aliquoting (Method 1). The solid compounds in four 24-Well Tube Racks are dissolved and aliquoted in two 96-Well Tube Racks. During reformatting, the Plate Hotel first unloads the 384-Well Plates (Echo® Qualified 384-Well Polypropylene Microplate and Echo® Qualified 384-Well Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC) Source Microplate, Low Dead Volume), which are transported to the Microlab® STAR™ deck via the HMotion before unloading the requested tubes. Once the racks with the requested tubes are picked up, the HMotion transports them to the scanner and the decapper, which read the 2D barcodes of the tubes and removes their caps, respectively, before transporting them to the Microlab® STAR™ deck. Once everything is on the liquid handler, the compounds are transferred according to the user instructions from the tubes to the 384-Well Plates via the 96 Multi-Probe-Head (MPH) (Figure 8). After the liquid transfer, the HMotion picks up the tubes, which are recapped before being returned to the Plate Hotel. This process repeats for up to four racks to fill the 384-Well Target Plates. As soon as all target plates are filled, the HMotion transports them to the sealer and then to the Plate Hotel. The subsequent transport to the Verso® and the relay of information (including the compound liquid levels) from the system PC to the Verso® database is done automatically”. A detailed workflow of the three methods involved in the preparation of copies of EU-OPENSCREEN Compound Collection provided to partner sites is shown in Figure 9. Figure 8: Transfer pattern of the compound reformatting from 96-Tube Racks to 384-Well Plates (Method 3) Verso® picks the requested Tubes and sort them into Racks Input: CSV-File with 2D Barcode and Volume information Input: CSV-File with Source/ Target Rack and Tube Barcode, and Volume information Plate Hotel unloads the Target 384-well Plates Manual loading of the 96-tube Racks into the Verso® Transfer of requested volumes from Source Tubes to Target Plates using the 96MPH** The Plates are placed on the STAR’s deck Plate Hotel unloads the Source 96-tube Rack Barcode Scanner reads the Tubes’ 2D Barcodes Sealer seales the Target Plates Decapper caps the Tubes The Source 96-tube Rack is placed on the STAR’s deck LabElite® re-opens 24-tube Racks VENUS® generates an output file with all relevant data Decapper decaps the Tubes Plate Hotel stores the Target Plates Plate Hotel stores the Source 96-tube Rack Input: CSV-File with 2D Barcode information Input: CSV-File with 2D Barcode, Sample/EOS ID and Volume information Input: CSV-File with 1D Rack- & 2D-Tube Barcode information STARlet transfers 1 mL of the dissolved compounds into 96-tube Racks LabElite® closes the 24-tube Racks VENUS® generates an Output File with Barcode and Position information STARlet scans 1D Barcodes of 24- and 96-tube Racks Manual loading of 24-capped and 96-uncapped tubes Racks into the STARlet 96-tube Racks are unloaded and capped manually LabElite® scans 2D Barcodes and opens 24- tube Racks STARlet transfers DMSO into tubes to generate 10 mM solutions LabElite® closes 24-tube Racks STARlet HHS* incubates and shakes the Racks Verso® places Racks on Handoff position Plate Hotel stores the Racks KNIME® Software generates Input File with Tubes & Racks Barcode, and Volume information -20°C STORAGE UNLOADING COMP. DISSOLUTION & ALIQUOTING COMPOUND REFORMATTING -20°C STORAGE LOADING -20°C STORAGE LOADING User Input Hamilton Instruments Software Third-Party Instruments (Integrated) Verso® opens the empty Hand-off position Plate Hotel unloads the Racks Verso® closes the loaded Hand-off and scans barcodes Verso® scans the Racks Barcodes and stores them Verso® stores scanned racks and logs data in the database Verso® logs data in the database KNIME® software edits Output file to include sample information * HHS - Hamilton Heater Shaker ** MPH - Multi-Probe Head Figure 9: Detailed workflow of the main methods involved in the preparation of copies of the EU-OPENSCREEN Compound Collection provided to EU-OPENSCREEN partner sites. KNIME edits output file to include sample information Benefits of the Automated System Throughput The automated system was developed with the purpose of supplying all screening sites with copies of the compound collection hosted at the EU-OPENSCREEN headquarters (over 100,000 compounds). Mr. Lopez commented: “The automated methods have been a success. Within 1.5 years, we have been able to send over 1.5 million compound aliquots to our partner sites, consisting of about 300 plates per compound collection copy. Without this automated system, it would have never been achievable. Moreover, thanks to our automated storage system, we are able to securely store, trace, and retrieve our complete compound collection with very little hands-on interaction.” Flexibility and Integrability In addition to the method for reformatting compounds from 96-Tube Racks to 384-Well Plates, nine other methods have been developed within the same integrated system. This flexibility is provided in big part, thanks to the ability to operate most of the instruments via the Hamilton VENUS® software. Dr. Specker commented: “The integration of all systems was a challenge we identified from the beginning, and the ability of Hamilton to provide us with a solid solution was a decisive factor in our vendor selection criteria. The team presented us with a very comprehensive concept of the system and accompanied us throughout the method implementation phase, even though it was COVID-19 time, and there were many changing regulations and uncertainties. Moreover, the ability to integrate a large, automated sample management system with the rest of the automation ecosystem was a unique proposition”. Sample Traceability One of the key benefits of an integrated system, such as the one implemented at EU-OPENSCREEN, is that samples are always traced along the workflows, which provides full assurance of the identity of what is pipetted. Mr. Benyaa commented: “The samples’ barcodes are read by the Verso®, the decapper and the STAR, allowing reliable handling. Moreover, we added a feature to the VENUS® software that automatically updates the volume left in the compound vials after pipetting into plates. This helps during later liquid transfers with the 96-Multi Probe Head, as the Microlab® STAR™ knows exactly the lowest liquid level in the tubes of a 96-Tube Rack and starts to aspirate from this height. This prevents pipetting errors and incorrectly aspirated volumes.” (Figure 10) KNIME generates Input File with Tubes & Racks Barcode, and Volume information VENUS® saves the new liquid level of each compound Verso® logs data into the database Verso® logs data into the database -20°C STORAGE UNLOADING COMPOUND REFORMATTING -20°C STORAGE LOADING -20°C STORAGE LOADING Input: CSV-File with Source/ Target Rack and Tube Barcode, and Volume information COMP. DISSOLUTION & ALIQUOTING VENUS® generates an output file with Barcode and Position information Figure 10: Transfer of information between the user, the system PC (running the VENUS® software), and the Verso® database. “We are very pleased with the flexibility of our integrated automated system, the quality of the Hamilton instruments, and the support of the Hamilton Team. We continue developing new methods to automate more tasks, and we envision adding more instruments to the current setup. In fact, we recently added a HJBioanalytik HJ@Sealer a few weeks ago. Moreover and as part of our training mandate, we plan to collaborate with Hamilton to create material and organize guided tours to educate people about automation and compound handling,” said Mr. Lopez. | 9 ©2024 Hamilton Bonaduz AG. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: throughout this Case Study, protected product names may be used without being specifically marked as such. 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