Norway – Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, department Molecular Biology Laboratory in Bergen, shall procure a flexible pipetting robot (liquid handler-robot, LH). The instrument shall be integrated in our production line for genotyping with next-generation sequencing (NGS), which is based on two stage PCR methodology. Thus the instrument will primarily be used for the construction of the NGS libraries and preparation of these for sequencing. The tasks that the instrument shall carry out include: i) Transferring DNA-templat, as well as adding master mixers and primers. ii) Cleaning PCR products (e.g. magnetic bullets) iii) Automated ("hands-off") quantification of DNA iv) Individual normalisation of libraries based on DNA concentration v) Merging of libraries The planned flow is 20,000– 30,000 samples per annum in a sample flow that will normally be carried out in 4 x 96 well plates with a reaction volume of 5-20 uL. In the future we envisage that 384 well plates will be a part of the test flow. As the instrument shall be used post-PCR, it is important that the instrument design allows effective cleaning and thorough decontamination. We would like a quick instrument with high capacity, pipetting precision and accuracy - even at low reaction volumes. In addition the robot is required to have great flexibility and an intuitive user interface, so that applications can be created and modified by personnel without advanced programming competence.