Agilent provided MRI with the Agilent 2100 bioanalyser and Agilent 5100 automated lab on a chip in order to evaluate their capability in high-throughput pathogen detection
Agilent Technologies and Midwest Research Institute (MRI) have announced a project to evaluate instrumentation for use in the areas of homeland security and biodefence.
In return, MRI provided feedback on the performance of these instruments in biodefence applications.
As part of this project, MRI's scientists and engineers have worked with Agilent's product development team to evaluate the performance of the Agilent 5100, testing it in field conditions where it was subjected to a level of real-world demand not available in Agilent's development labs.
"Based on our evaluation, we've concluded that the Agilent 5100 automated LOC platform is a promising instrument for automated high-throughput sample screening in biodefense applications," said Steve Lufkin, MRI's senior vice president of technology and strategic business development.
MRI put the instrument through the rigorous paces of its high-throughput monitoring of biological-threat agents using its multiplexing PCR (polymerase chain reaction).
Multiplexing PCR provides for the detection of multiple DNA signatures associated with a single agent or multiple agents.
During the evaluation, nearly 1500 PCR assays were run using about 500 environmental samples.
"Multiplexing PCR is definitely on the radar screen of the industry involved in biodefense analysis work," said Lufkin.
"Within the biodefence environment, there is an urgent need to balance accuracy with the cost and speed of collecting and analysing volumes of critical information.
It is essential to have bioanalysis equipment, such as the Agilent 5100, that makes full use of our multiplexing capabilities".
