The 14th annual LabAutomation conference and exhibit sponsored by the Association for Laboratory Automation (ALA) was held January 25–17 in Palm Springs, California. The lively gathering attracted 4,113 attendees, a 3.0% decrease from 2009. The number of exhibitors also declined, with a 7.3% drop in exhibitors to 233.

This year, MS seemed to be more of a focus for the conference, exemplified by the Monday’s plenary speaker, Dr. R. Graham Cooks of Purdue University. Dr. Cooks discussed the advancements made in MS, particularly portable MS. In regards to advancing the miniaturization of MS, he discussed the new ionization methods, highlighting DESI (Desorption Electrospray Ionization), which he invented. Talks later that day further discussed miniaturized MS as well as tissue imaging.

Informatics remained a key topic for the conference. Michael Elliot of Atrium Research & Consulting in his Monday morning presentation discussed the convergence of LIMS and electronic lab notebooks. In the future, he believed an approach based on systematic thinking for data architecture, such as the approach used in the financial industry, would be applied to research. Technologies currently shaping the future of informatics, according to Mr. Elliot, include Microsoft’s Sharepoint, which is being utilized as a collaboration tool by labs. However, other new technologies, such as the semantic web and cloud computing are showing a low adoption rate in research environments. In addition to Informatics, the conference’s other presentation tracks were: Detection and Separation, High-Throughput Technologies, Evolving Applications for Laboratory Automation, and Micro- and Nanotechnologies. The most crowded sessions on Monday morning included those included in Informatics and the Micro- and Nanotechnologies tracks.

Among the afternoon sessions on High-Throughput Technologies was a presentation by Vic Myer of the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research entitled “Biologics Target Identification Using a Pathways Approach.” In it, he described Novartis’ creation of an infrastructure for sustained target identification and validation. To create the Institute’s BioArchive, clone sequences were validated and reagents were “domesticated” to allow custom content on demand and a professional distribution system. Working with Life Technologies, Blue Heron Biotechnology and Aldevron, the company created an ORF clone collection covering half of the human genome. Endogeneous gene expression was measured using ligation-mediated amplification on the Luminex Flexmap platform at 100 gene multiplex capacity, with a throughput of 5,000 wells per week.

Companies making major new product introductions at the show included Caliper Life Sciences, Hamilton and QIAGEN. QIAGEN released the QIAsymphony AS, an integrated module for the QIAsymphony SP (see IBO 1/31/08) that is designed for fully automated PCR assay setup. The QIAsymphony AS runs 1–96 samples in volumes of up to 1 mL. The system can set up 500 PCR assays in four hours. Later this year, QIAGEN will release protocols for the QIAsymphony SP and QIAsymphony AS validated for the company’s Rotor-Gene Q real-time cycler. The QIAsymphony AS is priced at $52,000 and is available this month.

Caliper launched the Sciclone G3 Liquid Handler, which is the first liquid handler from Caliper capable of tube-to-plate reformatting. The Sciclone G3 can process 96 blood tubes, and the system’s PING technology provides liquid-level detection.

Hamilton highlighted numerous new products at its press conference. The company debuted its NIMBUS iPRobe liquid handler, an update of the NIMBUS platform (see IBO 8/15/08) that adds four independent channels for the pipetting of volumes from 1 mL to 5 mL, allowing a wider variety of configurations and a lower price point. The company also discussed the Cell Imager for the measurement of cell confluence and growth. The cost-effective system fits on the MICROLAB STAR workstation deck and does not require a gripper. The new 3D CellHOST integrates the BioLevitator (see IBO 1/31/09) onto the MICROLAB STAR and is available in five configuration. For the BioLevitator, Hamilton released a sensor to measure pH.

Agilent also held a press conference at the show, at which Nick Roelofs, president of Agilent’s Life Sciences Group, discussed the integration of the Varian product lines, stating that 70% of the Varian product portfolio will be joining Agilent’s Chemical Analysis business. Agilent’s Life Sciences business will subsume Varian’s LC, NMR, MRI, X-ray crystallography and dissolution testing product lines. Nitin Sood, general manager of Automated Solutions, highlighted the expansion of the company’s automation system into new applications, such as nucleic acid extraction, PCR and sequencing sample preparation.

At its booth, Beckman Coulter showed its Antibody Cocktail Preparation workstation, which utilizes the Biomek*NXp deck for combining antibodies and staining dyes prior to flow cytometry analysis. The company also displayed the SPRIworks Fragment Library System I for automated library construction for next-generation sequencing. The System consists of the SPRITE Nucleic Acid Extractor, a method card for liquid handling, and a reagent cartridge containing the Solid Phase Reversible Immobilization (SPRI) paramagnetic bead-based technology. According to Beckman, it can prepare up to 10 libraries in five hours.

Microplate readers remain a dynamic market. BioTek Instruments showed its Synergy H4 Hybrid Microplate Reader, which includes both monochromator-based and filter-based fluorescence detection systems for application flexibility. The system is priced at $70,000. MDS Analytical Technologies released the monochromater-based SpectraMax M3 and M4 Multi-Mode Microplate Readers, which fill a gap in the company product line between the M2 and M5 Multi-Mode Readers. The company also announced the launch of the SpectraTest LM1 Luminescence Validation Package. Along the same lines, ARTEL previewed its verification solution for automated liquid handling of 384-well microplates, which is expected to launch at the end of the quarter. The solution includes a reference plate and software upgrade. The company also noted the growing use of its products by resellers of liquid handlers and by labs that acquire new equipment via acquisitions. Eppendorf introduced the epBlue ID software for its epMotion automated pipetting system for barcode management in regulated environments.

LabCyte expanded the application range for its Echo acoustic dispensers with the introduction of the Echo Screening and Echo Omics Packages, which allow the use of acoustic dispensing technology with liquids other than DMSO, expanding the technology’s use into genomics, proteomics and cell-dispensing applications, including the dispensing onto arrays. The company expects the fastest growth of its technology for use with siRNA and qPCR applications. LabCyte also introduced a 1536LDV Echo source plate, featuring lower dead volume.

Smaller companies also populated the exhibit floor at LabAutomation. Curiox showed its DropArray Technology, a reusable flat slide with a hydrophobic coating to create virtual wells, each holding 2-3 µL of sample. The plates can be used with 384-well plate instrumentation. The new DropArray Accelerator HT is a fully automated washer for the plates. Boreal Genomics showed the SCODA Electrophoretic Sample Preparation System for DNA extraction using electrophoresis technology and rotating electric fields. The system is designed for use with very dilute or highly contaminated samples. Cassettes are available for use with one 5-mL sample or four 1-mL samples. The system is priced at $35,000.

According to ALA, the exhibit included more than 40 first-time exhibitors. Among these exhibitors were BIOCIUS (see IBO 11/15/09), Metrohm USA, Sotax and Waters’s TharSFC business. Past exhibitors that were not present this year included Genetix, Millipore and Symyx Technologies. LabAutomation2011 will take place January 29–February 2 at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Chart: LabAutomation Participants

2007 4600

2008 4670

2009 4237

2010 4113

LabAutomation Exhibitors

2007 214

2008 242

2009 250

2010 233