Agilent Automation Solutions has released a guide to selecting the right automation instruments or instruments for next-generation sequencing (NGS) workflow.
NGS has revolutionised genomics, enabling entire genomes to be sequenced more efficiently than ever before; however the typical NGS workflow is less revolutionary, with numerous manual steps and challenges that include cost, throughput and variability.
Traditional methods for sample preparation and data analysis can be extremely time-consuming with numerous opportunities for error.
Automation provides a solution for many of these challenges, and increase precision by reducing sample-to-sample variability.
The guide, which can be downloaded from the Agilent website, reviews the factors influencing optimal integration of automation into the laboratory.
It further discusses and illustrates with real application examples how automated liquid handling can accelerate the speed and accuracy of the different steps in a typical NGS workflow.
To meet the challenges of NGS research, Agilent has developed optimised automation systems that allow users to increase the number of reactions they can perform in parallel, reducing the amount of sample processing time and increasing the number of samples each researcher can process while reducing the amount of sample-to-sample variability.
Background information is provided on the automated liquid handling systems, microplate handlers, sealers, seal piercers, centrifuges, barcode labellers, and unified software platform that Agilent Automation Solutions use to create an optimised bench-top or freestanding system for automating a complete integrated NGS workflow.
