Low Energy Cost PCR System Offers Five Channel Multiplexing Capability
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 21 Nov 2011 |
|
Image: The PikoReal Real-Time PCR System (Photo courtesy of Thermo Fisher Scientific).
A new, energy-saving PCR system has entered the United States biotech market and will be available in Europe in the second half of 2012.
The Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Milford, MA, USA) PikoReal Real-Time PCR System is available as either a 24-well or a 96-well instrument that utilizes proprietary UTW Piko PCR Plates. These plates are a quarter the size and half the thickness of standard PCR plates but still maintain industry standards for well volumes and well spacing, thus having compatibility with standard multichannel pipettes (both eight- and 16-channel) and liquid handling robots. The Piko PCR plates enable shorter incubation times and improved data uniformity by improving thermal transfer between block and sample.
The built-in optical system of the PikoReal contains five channels, precalibrated for the most common dyes, so users can perform multiplexing with four dyes while dedicating the fifth channel to SYBR Green (an asymmetrical cyanine dye used as a nucleic acid stain in molecular biology) experiments. Data is collected from all wells simultaneously with a low noise and high sensitivity CCD camera (520 nm to 740 nm). The scanning time for all four channels is less than 10 seconds, supporting the development of fast qPCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) protocols for multiplexing.
Five long-lasting LEDs are used as the instruments' light source. These lamps emit constant and stable light over a broad spectrum (475 nm to 640 nm) and require no user maintenance. Separate light sources of different excitation wavelengths reduce crosstalk and focus high light energy levels.
The instruments are controlled by PikoReal software, which enables absolute and relative quantification, melting curve analysis, and genotyping.
The PikoReal PCR system is now being marketed in the US and it will become available in Canada, Brazil, and Western Europe beginning the second half of 2012.
Related Links:
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
The Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Milford, MA, USA) PikoReal Real-Time PCR System is available as either a 24-well or a 96-well instrument that utilizes proprietary UTW Piko PCR Plates. These plates are a quarter the size and half the thickness of standard PCR plates but still maintain industry standards for well volumes and well spacing, thus having compatibility with standard multichannel pipettes (both eight- and 16-channel) and liquid handling robots. The Piko PCR plates enable shorter incubation times and improved data uniformity by improving thermal transfer between block and sample.
The built-in optical system of the PikoReal contains five channels, precalibrated for the most common dyes, so users can perform multiplexing with four dyes while dedicating the fifth channel to SYBR Green (an asymmetrical cyanine dye used as a nucleic acid stain in molecular biology) experiments. Data is collected from all wells simultaneously with a low noise and high sensitivity CCD camera (520 nm to 740 nm). The scanning time for all four channels is less than 10 seconds, supporting the development of fast qPCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) protocols for multiplexing.
Five long-lasting LEDs are used as the instruments' light source. These lamps emit constant and stable light over a broad spectrum (475 nm to 640 nm) and require no user maintenance. Separate light sources of different excitation wavelengths reduce crosstalk and focus high light energy levels.
The instruments are controlled by PikoReal software, which enables absolute and relative quantification, melting curve analysis, and genotyping.
The PikoReal PCR system is now being marketed in the US and it will become available in Canada, Brazil, and Western Europe beginning the second half of 2012.
Related Links:
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
Gold Member
Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile pHOx
Alcohol Testing Device
Dräger Alcotest 7000
Clinical Chemistry System
P780
Latest BioResearch News
- Genome Analysis Predicts Likelihood of Neurodisability in Oxygen-Deprived Newborns
- Gene Panel Predicts Disease Progession for Patients with B-cell Lymphoma
- New Method Simplifies Preparation of Tumor Genomic DNA Libraries
- New Tool Developed for Diagnosis of Chronic HBV Infection
- Panel of Genetic Loci Accurately Predicts Risk of Developing Gout
- Disrupted TGFB Signaling Linked to Increased Cancer-Related Bacteria
- Gene Fusion Protein Proposed as Prostate Cancer Biomarker
- NIV Test to Diagnose and Monitor Vascular Complications in Diabetes
- Semen Exosome MicroRNA Proves Biomarker for Prostate Cancer
- Genetic Loci Link Plasma Lipid Levels to CVD Risk
- Newly Identified Gene Network Aids in Early Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Link Confirmed between Living in Poverty and Developing Diseases
- Genomic Study Identifies Kidney Disease Loci in Type I Diabetes Patients
- Liquid Biopsy More Effective for Analyzing Tumor Drug Resistance Mutations
- New Liquid Biopsy Assay Reveals Host-Pathogen Interactions
- Method Developed for Enriching Trophoblast Population in Samples
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Noninvasive Blood-Glucose Monitoring to Replace Finger Pricks for Diabetics
People with diabetes often need to measure their blood glucose multiple times a day, most commonly through finger-prick blood tests or implanted sensors. These methods can be painful, inconvenient, and... Read more
POC Breath Diagnostic System to Detect Pneumonia-Causing Pathogens
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia, particularly in lung transplant recipients and patients with structural lung disease. Its ability to form... Read more
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
World's First NGS-Based Diagnostic Platform Fully Automates Sample-To-Result Process Within Single Device
Rapid point-of-need diagnostics are of critical need, especially in the areas of infectious disease and cancer testing and monitoring. Now, a direct-from-specimen platform that performs genomic analysis... Read more
Rapid Diagnostic Breakthrough Simultaneously Detects Resistance and Virulence in Klebsiella Pneumoniae
Antibiotic resistance is a steadily escalating threat to global healthcare, making common infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of severe complications. One of the most concerning pathogens... Read more
Hematology
view channel
MRD Tests Could Predict Survival in Leukemia Patients
Acute myeloid leukemia is an aggressive blood cancer that disrupts normal blood cell production and often relapses even after intensive treatment. Clinicians currently lack early, reliable markers to predict... Read more
Platelet Activity Blood Test in Middle Age Could Identify Early Alzheimer’s Risk
Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease remains one of the biggest unmet needs in neurology, particularly because the biological changes underlying the disorder begin decades before memory symptoms appear.... Read more
Microvesicles Measurement Could Detect Vascular Injury in Sickle Cell Disease Patients
Assessing disease severity in sickle cell disease (SCD) remains challenging, especially when trying to predict hemolysis, vascular injury, and risk of complications such as vaso-occlusive crises.... Read more
ADLM’s New Coagulation Testing Guidance to Improve Care for Patients on Blood Thinners
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are one of the most common types of blood thinners. Patients take them to prevent a host of complications that could arise from blood clotting, including stroke, deep... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Blood Test Could Identify Colon Cancer Patients to Benefit from NSAIDs
Colon cancer remains a major cause of cancer-related illness, with many patients facing relapse even after surgery and chemotherapy. Up to 40% of people with stage III disease experience recurrence, highlighting... Read more
Blood Test Could Detect Adverse Immunotherapy Effects
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed cancer treatment, but they can also trigger serious immune-related adverse events that damage healthy organs and may become life-threatening if not detected early.... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
New UTI Diagnosis Method Delivers Antibiotic Resistance Results 24 Hours Earlier
Urinary tract infections affect around 152 million people every year, making them one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide. In routine medical practice, diagnosis often relies on rapid urine... Read more
Breakthroughs in Microbial Analysis to Enhance Disease Prediction
Microorganisms shape human health, ecosystems, and the planet’s climate, yet identifying them and understanding how they are related remains a major scientific challenge. Even with modern DNA sequencing,... Read more
Pathology
view channel
AI Tool Simultaneously Identifies Genetic Mutations and Disease Type
Interpreting genetic test results remains a major challenge in modern medicine, particularly for rare and complex diseases. While existing tools can indicate whether a genetic mutation is harmful, they... Read more
Rapid Low-Cost Tests Can Prevent Child Deaths from Contaminated Medicinal Syrups
Medicinal syrups contaminated with toxic chemicals have caused the deaths of hundreds of children worldwide, exposing a critical gap in how these products are tested before reaching patients.... Read more
Tumor Signals in Saliva and Blood Enable Non-Invasive Monitoring of Head and Neck Cancer
Head and neck cancers are among the most aggressive malignancies worldwide, with nearly 900,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Monitoring these cancers for recurrence or relapse typically relies on tissue... Read more
Technology
view channel
Diagnostic Chip Monitors Chemotherapy Effectiveness for Brain Cancer
Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and fatal brain cancers, with most patients surviving less than two years after diagnosis. Treatment is particularly challenging because the tumor infiltrates... Read more
Machine Learning Models Diagnose ALS Earlier Through Blood Biomarkers
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease that is notoriously difficult to diagnose in its early stages. Early symptoms often overlap with other neurological... Read more
Industry
view channel
BD and Penn Institute Collaborate to Advance Immunotherapy through Flow Cytometry
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Institute for Immunology and Immune Health (I3H, Philadelphia, PA, USA) at the University... Read more
