Hamilton Robotics And New England Biolabs Collaborate To Automate Sample Preparation For NGS

The jointly developed solutions enable scientists to fully automate library preparation protocols

Hamilton Robotics and New England Biolabs, Inc. (NEB®) recently announced a collaboration to develop automated solutions for NEB's NEBNext® reagent line for next-generation sequencing (NGS) sample preparation, including a fast and robust low-input option for high-throughput Illuminalibrary preparation. The jointly developed solutions will also enable scientists to completely automate library preparation protocols for Ion Torrent™ and Roche 454™ assays.

Based on the Microlab® STAR line of instruments, Hamilton is developing an "open" NGS workstation that simplifies the setup of any library preparation protocol. The versatile STAR line supports any level of throughput from eight to 96 samples and reduces time-consuming manual pipetting steps and sample-to-sample variability.

The collaboration will initially focus on automated methods for the NEBNext Ultra™ DNA library prep kit for Illumina sequencers. NEB's high-quality Ultra reagents provide fast, simplified workflows for robust, high-yield library preparation with input amounts from a few nanograms to one microgram of DNA. All protocols incorporate magnetic bead-based size selection for superior ease of use. Additional methods will be added later this year.

"Hamilton has a strong focus on and expertise in providing researchers with solutions that exactly fit a lab's needs, but we also offer standardized solutions for a wide range of applications,"said Mario Arangio, Ph.D., Director, Standard Solutions at Hamilton Robotics. "We are delighted to work with NEB as this partnership broadens our NGS portfolio with pre-validated solutions for the most popular sequencing platforms. Through NEB's established network in the scientific community, we can provide these combined solutions to renowned research institutes worldwide."

"With the increased use of NGS comes the need for increased throughput of NGS library preparation,” said Fiona Stewart, Ph.D., Product Marketing Manager at NEB. "Partnering with Hamilton to automate our NEBNext kits on the Microlab STAR line of instruments provides additional options for NGS users to easily scale up their library preparation workflows for a variety of sample types."

About Hamilton Company
Hamilton Company is a global leader in the design and manufacture of liquid handling, process measurement, robotics and storage solutions, serving customers in academic and private research laboratories, pharmaceutical and clinical diagnostic companies and government institutions. Hamilton maintains headquarters in Reno, Nevada; Franklin, Massachusetts; and Bonaduz, Switzerland, along with subsidiary offices throughout the world. For over 60 years, the company has maintained its commitment to building precision and quality into every product. Hamilton is a privately held company with ISO 9001 certification. For more information, visit www.hamiltonrobotics.com.

Hamilton Robotics products are for research only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About New England Biolabs
Established in the mid-1970s, New England Biolabs, Inc. is the industry leader in the discovery and production of enzymes for molecular biology applications and now offers the largest selection of recombinant and native enzymes for genomic research. NEB continues to expand its product offerings into areas related to PCR, gene expression, library preparation for next generation sequencing, cellular analysis, epigenetics and RNA analysis. Additionally, NEB is focused on strengthening alliances that enable new technologies to reach key market sectors. New England Biolabs is a privately held company, headquartered in Ipswich, MA, and has extensive worldwide distribution through a network of exclusive distributors, agents and seven subsidiaries located in Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK. For more informatio, visit http://www.neb.com.and NEBNext.com.