The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability (CFB) invests in next generation pipetting platform

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability (CFB) invests in next generation pipetting platform

We are happy to announce that Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability (CFB) has decided to invest in 2 VANTAGE systems for automation of high throughput cloning and cultivation assays. To support their attempts to improve efficiency and throughput time CFB wanted to automate 2 of their key processes, cloning and cultivation including full integration of supporting 3^rd party devices, as described below.
Following an extensive market evaluation and tender process Hamilton Robotics was selected to supply the full automation flow based on their strong technology platform and support organization. By Introducing Hamilton Robotics recent innovation, VANTAGE, Hamilton could offer unique benefits and considerable improve the capacity and efficiency of the project.

The VANTAGE Cloning robot will perform following tasks in 96 wells
plate format:

•  DNA Fragment isolation (dissolved and Gel pieces
•  DNA purification
•  Colony PCR
•  Plasmid isolation
•  Transformation E.coli
•  Transformation Yeast

The VANTAGE Cultivation Robot will perform following tasks:

• Grow strains in single use mini reactors (12mL)
• Control pH
• Feed batch
• Measure growth rate
• Sample into 2D coded tubes

Hamilton Vantage - the future of liquid handling systems

Hamilton Robotics innovative technology platform, VANTAGE™, offers many advantages and is developed to meet future demands and challenges in the automated liquid handling field.

VANTAGE complements the successful STAR Line platform and is marked primarily at the biotech / pharma, hospitals and universities where the needs of fast and smart solutions to complex automation flows exist.

The fully enclosed platform features accurate and precise pipetting technology covering a wide volume range. Resource-optimized, dynamic scheduling INSTINCT V software increases workflow efficiency, while advanced labware detection, identification, and verification provide complete system and sample traceability. The vertically-integrated VANTAGE system maximizes space through innovative, high-capacity tip and plate shuttling from below the pipetting deck. Efficient, flexible transportation via a telescoping gripper and below-deck third-party device integration also help minimize the footprint and support the modular and expandable system architecture. Finally, wireless tablets with multi-touch capabilities serve as virtual workspaces for remote access and location-free monitoring of the VANTAGE system, increasing walk-away time and productivity.

Hamilton VANTAGE is the platform for those who need a user-friendly system and with requirements of standardized and reliable processes.

Olivier Bitterlin, Laboratory Engineer:  

“We are very pleased with the decision to work with Hamilton Robotics for this key application and looking forward to a fruitful collaboration.

 We chose the Vantage system because it offers cutting edge technologies and the powerful INSTINC software which allows support and time-optimization of parallel processes. The cabinet below the pipetting deck is accessible by the robotic arm and offers more flexibility by reducing the footprint of the system. It will allow us to perform efficient cloning applications on our 1st system and cultivation with pH control and feedbatch on our 2^nd system”

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability (CFB) is a DTU research and innovation center established in 2011. A wide range of economically significant products, from small molecules to large proteins, can be made using cells as production hosts or cell factories. These cell factories will impact chemical and biopharmaceutical production notably over the coming decades. A dedicated research and development effort is required in order to identify commercially interesting compounds and to speed-up the strain design process - and this is what CFB is aiming at.

The CFB was initially funded by The Novo Nordisk Foundation by a grant to DTU in December 2010 with a vision of strengthen Denmark's position in advanced bioprocessing. The CFB was The CFB was inaugurated in October of 2011. During 2012 CFB received two further grants from The Novo Nordisk Foundation - one covering genome-scale science for CHO cells with the aim of generating optimized CHO cell factories to produce the next generation of biopharmaceuticals - and one with the aim of a further internationalization of CFB.

Today, CFB is a multi-site operation with over 125 FTE's and is still growing. About two thirds of the operations are currently housed at Scion-DTU, a science park in Hørsholm north of Copenhagen, and the rest at the affiliated universities.