The Automation Partnership (TAP) invited key members of the scientific community to an open day on 10 July 2007 to preview Polar, its -80C automated biological sample management system for UK Biobank
Polar, which is being prepared for final testing at TAP's manufacturing facility in the UK, will eventually store, retrieve and track up to ten million samples stored at -80C for an estimated 25 years.
It will also be capable of accurately selecting any single or programmed array of 2D coded samples from this vast collection, making producing microplates containing specific sample types both quick and easy.
While the system is being factory tested, selected members of the international scientific community were invited to an open day to view the system.
Shortly after the event, Polar will be transferred, installed and site tested at UK Biobank in Manchester, where it is set to become the world's largest automated -80C biological archive.
Tim Peakman, executive director for UK Biobank, commented: "We now recruiting people who will make up the 500,000 participants in the UK Biobank project, so are delighted TAP's consultative, professional approach has enabled them to deliver an automated system to meet our demanding archiving needs in good time.
"We look forward to continuing our productive relationship during the next phases of this project.
"We have been impressed with the way TAP have worked with us to deliver an innovative product that uses robust technologies combined with new engineering to meet the particular challenges of operating at very low temperatures for long periods," added Peakman.
Ian Ransome, director of sample management and screening at TAP, continued: "Automating frozen storage and retrieval for UK Biobank is one of TAP's most ambitious projects and we are pleased to have a system fully built which matches all UK Biobank's stringent requirements.
"Polar is the result of the vision and skill of our talented staff and its successful completion on time and in budget shows TAP is leading the field in producing outstanding automated archiving solutions for even the most complex biological storage programmes."
