LabAutomation 2006 - SLAS

MP21
Mark Chong
Aurora Discovery, Inc.
San Diego, California
mark_chong@auroradiscovery.com
Where Laboratory Technologies Emerge and Merge
Co-Author(s)
Brad Larson
Tracy Worzella
Promega Corporation
Ultra-High-Throughput Profiling of Compounds Using Luminescent Assays and the
Aurora ® Discovery BioRAPTR FRDTM Workstation
We demonstrate the use of Promega Corporation’s luminescent HTS assays for profiling test compounds in a miniaturized ultra-highthroughput
setting. The ability to obtain a better understanding of drug compound properties earlier in order to better predict off-target
activity and toxicity is essential in the drug discovery process. By incorporating high-density plates in a miniaturized format, the researcher
is able to obtain more complete information in a short period of time. We include cell-based assays for viability and apoptosis induction, a
cell-based GPCR DRD1 assay, cytochrome P450, P-glycoprotein, and kinase assays to generate each individual profile. Aurora Discovery’s
BioRAPTR FRDTM Workstation was used to dispense cells, test compounds, and assay reagents in a 1536-well format. IC50 calculations
were performed for each compound and assay combination. Results show that IC50s from assays performed in a miniaturized uHTS
setting can be used to create a clearer picture of the properties for individual compounds.
MP22
Jon Chudyk
Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation
Marshfield, Wisconsin
chudykj@cmg.mfldclin.edu
Co-Author(s)
Terry Rusch
Kim Fieweger
Seth Dobrin
James Weber
Another Step in Automating Microsatellite Genotyping
Our laboratory has been testing ways to reduce costs, sample volumes, and decrease labor in short tandem repeat polymorphism (STRP)
genotyping. Using a continuous polypropylene tape (array tape) embossed with 384 well arrays, conforming to the microtiter plate standard
allows smaller reaction volumes to be used and decreased handling of stacks of microtiter plates. Current instrumentation developed
in-house has greatly increased automation and reduced labor in sample preparation, and we are efficiently able to pierce the seal with a
CO2 laser to facilitate extracting the samples from the reaction vessels to load into gels for analysis. We have not found a seal that can be
pierced by our 384-tip instrument, and have tried using several razor blades to score the seal. This process had proven to be problematic
and difficult to automate due to the pressure required for the blades to score the seal sufficiently. Using a CO2 laser to weaken the seal
is much more reproducible and less prone to carryover and sample to sample contamination. CO2 lasers are robust systems that do not
contain a lot of frequently replaced parts, and do not require frequent recalibration. In addition, the laser is software controlled allowing for
highly reproducible scoring and easily switching between 384, 1536, and 96-well formats.
113