Case Study: University of Edinburgh achieves high-throughput automated DNA manufacturing with Molecular Devices QPix colony pickers

University of Edinburgh boosts DNA manufacturing with Molecular Devices QPix, picking up to 3,000 colonies per hour

The University of Edinburgh's Edinburgh Genome Foundry (EGF) required an automated colony picking system to scale up its DNA manufacturing. Their challenge was to find a solution that could achieve higher throughput with accurate sample tracking and, crucially, integrate into their existing fully automated robotic workflow. Molecular Devices addressed this need with a customized QPix 400 series microbial colony picker.

Molecular Devices' Advanced Workflow Engineering Solutions Team created a tailored QPix Select-HT system, featuring hardware and software modifications for robotic arm access and a custom head for spreading samples. This integrated solution enabled the EGF to plate 200 samples or pick 3,000 colonies per hour. The results were a high-throughput, fully automated platform that reduced labor hours and financial costs while ensuring reliable sample and data management for timely product delivery.

University of Edinburgh