Instrument allows the aspiration of ultra low level liquid volumes within the picoliter to nanoliter range from different reservoirs and contact-free delivery
Scienion has obtained the exclusive rights for a core patent in ultra low level liquid handling from the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. The patent issued in the US (US 6,599,479) covers the aspiration and release of tiny liquid volumes by a piezoelectrically triggered multi-channel dispensing system.
Holger Eickhoff, CEO of Scienion, explains: "This exclusive patent licence enormously strengthens our market position as a hardware supplier.
"The liquid handling is based on a piezoelectric inkjet principle.
"This technique is far superior to conventional needle printers and other low volume liquid handlers and will increasingly replace the latter in modern labs". Eickhoff himself was involved in the invention during his time at the Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics.
Scienion's Sciflexarrayer is the first commercial instrument to incorporate the technology referred to in the patent.
It allows the aspiration of ultra low level liquid volumes within the picoliter to nanoliter range from different reservoirs and the contact-free micro drop delivery onto a variety of carriers.
"With Scienion we have an ideal partner for the implementation of this technology", says Jorn Erselius of Garching Innovation, the technology transfer unit of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.
"We are very pleased about the Sciflexarrayer showing an already successful commercialisation of this technique".
The Sciflexarrayer is a highly flexible, and precise robotic system to enable more reproducible results, a higher degree of parallelisation and miniaturisation and therefore, time and cost saving effects for the customers, says Scienion.
The range of applications include DNA and protein chip technology, high throughput screening, production of cell transfection assays, sample preparation for Maldi mass spectrometry and the production of screening arrays loaded with chemicals and active agents.
