The collaboration aims to equip users with complete NGS solution from sample to answer
Danaher companies Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT), a genomics specialist, and Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, a specialist in laboratory automation and innovation, are forming a strategic partnership to automate IDT’s range of customisable next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay solutions using the recently launched Biomek i3 Benchtop Liquid Handler.
The collaboration will help labs simplify oncology research workflows with enhanced precision, scalability, and reproducibility, as oncology labs depend on reproducible NGS workflows to identify variants and drive precision medicine.
IDT and Beckman Coulter Life Sciences will work to automate Archer FusionPlex and VariantPlex targeted sequencing assays, and xGen Hybrid Capture workflows from IDT on the Biomek i3 instrument.
Pairing IDT’s NGS assay chemistry with the Biomek automation platform enables researchers to reduce hands-on time, improve reproducibility, and throughput options tailored to their specific needs.
The Biomek i3 system has a compact footprint and advanced capabilities, such as optional on-deck thermocycling and intuitive software for rapid protocol development, making it a suitable solution for labs processing lower-throughput sample volumes without compromising data quality.
Ajay Gannerkote, president at IDT, said, “At IDT, we’re redefining what walk-away automation means by optimising NGS workflows and enhancing automation compatibility and scalability to empower labs to focus more on discovery and less on manual processing. We develop these innovations in close collaboration with automation partners like Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, to democratise precision medicine and accelerate researchers’ ability to generate and interpret genomic data at scale.”
Ewan Grant, senior director of automation at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, said, “The Biomek i3 instrument was built to bring powerful automation to the benchtop. Partnering with IDT allows us to deliver a robust solution that reduces the complexity of targeted sequencing workflows and supports labs of all sizes in achieving consistent, high-quality results.”
