The instruments of the screening unit are listed below. Almost all are available for use off-line or as part of reconfigurable automation platforms. Contact us for further details. Libraries resources are also hosted by the screening unit.

High-Throughput Microscopes/High-Content Analysers

The unit offers twin fully-automated instruments that are used for live and fixed cell/small model organism High-Content Analysis and High-Throughput Microscopy. They can be used to increase the throughput and longitudinality of your experiements, as well as for performing screens. One is integrated to an automation platform with live-cell incubator and other devices, another is stand-alone. A third stand-alone instrument is being set up during early 2023. Full details are available here

In addition, the unit has a Perkin Elmer Operetta Confocal HCS Instrument and and Incucuyte (Essen Bioscience). More details at the end of this page here

Integrated assay platform (PAA workcell)

This is an integrated assay platform incorporating several of the devices described below. Plates are based from the library hotel (40 plate capacity) to an acoustic dispenser for 1-to-1 or cherry picking dispense to assay plates from the 40-plate assay library hotel. The assay plates are filled with assay reagent and substrate from bulk dispensers. After a defined incubation time, the plates can be read in the integrated plate reader or the entire assay plate stack can be transferred for measurement at another device. Library plates are automatically unsealed and resealed under inert purge gas as needed.

Acoustic Non-Contact Dispenser (EDC Biosystems)

This device is used to dispense reagents for assays, for full library screens, library cherry-picking and combination synergy approaches. Available for stand-alone use or in an 80-plate integrated assay platform.

Location: Biocity 5th floor

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Pipetting Robot (Biomek NXP)

This device is flexibly configured. The pod has a head for 8 and 96 channel use, and an alternate head for 384 channel use. In addition to passive positions, there are tip washers (96 or 384), a shaker cooler-heater position, a solid-phase separation position and a collar position. Custom covers frees up unneeded devices as free positions. A magnetic separation plate is available, and more can be generated as needed.

The Biomek NXP can now be booked by registered users, and training requested, via Open Iris.

Location: Biocity 5th floor

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Bulk Reagent Dispensers (Thermo Fisher Multidrop)

These two devices are used in automated pipelines to add reagents for specific assay steps. Available for stand-alone use or in an 80-plate integrated assay platform.

Location: Biocity 5th floor

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Plate Peeler (Brooks)

This device removes plate seals from each library plate as scheduled by the 80-plate integrated assay platform, so that exposure of libraries to the atmosphere is minimised.

Location: Biocity 5th floor

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Plate Sealer-Purger (Agilent)

This device purges the library plates in an inert atmosphere and returns the plate seal immediately after use in the 80-plate integrated assay platform. Can also be used off-line for multiple different plate types.

Location: Biocity 5th floor

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Centrifuge v-spin (Agilent)

This device ensures reagents dispensed to assay plates are properly seated in the wells before incubation and reading. Used by the 80-plate integrated assay platform

Location: Biocity 5th floor

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Plate Reader (BMG Clariostar Plus)

Currently, spectral fluorescence and luminescence measurement modes are available, using filter-based monochromators. Available for stand-alone use. Integrated to the 80-plate integrated assay platform..

Location: Biocity 5th floor

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Plate Reader (BMG Optima Polarstar)

Fluorescence, luminescence, absorbance, TRF and FP measurement modes are available, top and bottom modes in most cases. Filter-based system with two PMT detectors. Available for stand-alone use.

Location: Biocity 5th floor

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Plate Washer (Thermo)

These are used in automated pipelines to change medium on cells and plates for specific assay steps.

Location: Biocity 5th floor

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Additional Plate Washer (Tecan)

This device is used for oncology service provision

Location: Medisiina D

Contact person: Malin Åkerfelt

Plate Reader (Perkin Elmer Envision)

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Spinning-Disk Confocal Microscope (3i)

Zeiss Axiovert-200M microscope with Yokogawa CSU22 spinning disc confocal unit

Motorized inverted widefield fluorescence microscope ideal for live-cell imaging applications.

Small stage incubator for temperature control. Nipkow disk technology with microlenses, and Yokogawa CSU unit, especially useful tool for high speed, live cell imaging.

Location: Medisiina D, 5th floor

Contact person: Malin Åkerfelt

Scanning Confocal Microscope (Biorad Radiance)

Functioning laser scanning confocal with GAsP and other detectors and bleaching functions

Location: Biocity

Contact person: Michael Courtney

Multi-Point Wide-Field Fast Imaging Microscope (Custom)

This instrument is used for facility QC and for integration to automated pipelines.

Location: Biocity
Contact person: Michael Courtney