SeqWell, a biotech company located in Massachusetts, specializes in creating scalable genomics kits and transposon-mediated reagents to improve next generation sequencing (NGS) operations.
The company has recently integrated the WELLJET reagent dispenser from INTEGRA Biosciences into an automated liquid handling platform to boost productivity in preparing its ExpressPlex™ library preparation kit.
The introduction of NGS has altered the landscape of genetic research, allowing scientists to evaluate large amounts of genomic material swiftly and at an affordable rate.
As laboratories seek to process increasingly large quantities of samples, library preparation represents a bottleneck in the sequencing pipeline.
SeqWell was founded in 2014 with the goal of tackling this issue and revolutionizing NGS library preparation. The company provides quick plasmid sequencing services as well as library preparation kits to assist clients with in-house genome sequencing.
SeqWell's products stand out for their true multiplexing solutions, which allow researchers to quickly construct NGS libraries from hundreds or even thousands of samples.
John Palys, Senior Automation Engineer at seqWell, stated: “We have fine-tuned our transposon-mediated reagents to accomplish DNA fragmentation, adapter ligation and amplification in just one step. In addition, every kit that we produce includes built-in normalization to ensure a simple and straightforward NGS workflow."
"Our ExpressPlex library preparation kits are a game-changer for fast and efficient library preparation, boasting a single-step workflow that only takes 90 minutes. This means that researchers can spend less time on hands-on tasks, and more time analyzing data and interpreting results.”
SeqWell's production scientists are continuously looking for automation methods to accelerate the production of its kits and reagents.
To realize this goal, the company paired an INTEGRA WELLJET reagent dispenser with a Tecan Fluent® Automation Workstation. This integrated solution automatically fills and seals ExpressPlex reagent plates, enabling a high throughput, walk-away production procedure.
WELLJET dispenser integrated into automated workflow by seqWell
Video Credit: INTEGRA Biosciences
John added: “Integrating the WELLJET into the Tecan liquid handler was straightforward, thanks to the simple interface, easy programming and effortless operation of both instruments, as well as the extensive customer support from INTEGRA."
"Combining the two systems has resulted in a very streamlined process for the production of our library preparation kits, enabling us to fill up to 50 plates in a single batch. We can even use the WELLJET to fill plates in isolation if the Tecan instrument is already in use, so it is very flexible and convenient.”
The seqWell team anticipates a rise in consumer demand, along with an increase in the number of sequencing requests each day, as NGS techniques become more widespread.
“Our goal is to make genetic sequencing more accessible and efficient, empowering scientists to unlock transformative discoveries in the life sciences and medical fields. State-of-the-art automation – such as that offered by INTEGRA and Tecan – is helping labs around the world to achieve this,” John concluded.
About INTEGRA Biosciences
INTEGRA provides innovative solutions for liquid handling and media preparation applications that serve the needs of its customers in research, diagnostics and quality control laboratories.
Its instruments and plastic consumables are developed and manufactured in Zizers, Switzerland, and Hudson, NH, USA. In order to remain close to its customers, the company maintains a direct sales and support organization in several North American, European and Asian countries, as well as a network of over 100 highly trained distribution partners worldwide.
In recent years, the company has focused on developing a new and technologically advanced range of lab devices that are simple to use and meet the ergonomic needs of its customers.
Today, INTEGRA is proud to offer the widest range of electronic pipettes in the market, spanning from single channel pipettes to 384 channel bench-top instruments.
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