Automation solutions for microplate readers
Microplate readers are a valuable tool in many applications involving large numbers of samples, such as high-throughput screening (HTS). HTS requires the measurement of many different combinations of different compounds at different concentrations, often in different cell or sample types, and with a reasonable number of replicates.
The measurement is usually made using luminescence, fluorescence or absorbance. Since the number of samples that can be measured in a single microplate is limited (typically 96 or 384 samples per plate), many microplates must be measured for a single experiment.
This means loading the microplates into the reader, waiting for the plate to be measured, removing the plate from the reader and starting again. The task requires no knowledge or skill, but it keeps the technician busy for a long time. In this situation, automation is highly desirable. Microplate handlers can easily handle this task, but automating more complex workflows may require other solutions.