When it comes to performing continuous biological screens across hundreds of 384-well microplates, workflow synchronization, traceability, and platform flexibility become critical challenges. Finding a robotic platform that met specific technological criteria while overcoming space constraints for implementation were the challenges our client faced while searching for new crop protection solutions.
The Initial Situation and Project Challenges
Prior to this project, high-throughput protocols using 96-well plates existed, but the platform did not provide the desired flexibility. The implementation of a new evaluation technology, combined with new technical requirements, necessitated a new automated platform. In a regulatory environment requiring the adoption of new approaches while maintaining exemplary quality, CyRISBio was called upon to optimize this testing process.
The proposed workflow was complex. One of the client’s key requirements was to test different doses on multiple pathogens using molecule libraries stored in 384-well master plates. Thus, each master plate generates dozens of test plates to be evaluated. The goal was to scale the platform to process up to 150 plates per run while maintaining the ability to use the platform’s various components as independent modules.
At this scale, several parameters became critical:
- Molecule volume: testing entire libraries required high throughput
- Traceability: each plate (master, daughter, assay) had to be identified by barcode, and each dispensing recorded precisely; what dilution, in which plate, for which pathogen
- The ability to perform automated, traceable incubation
- Data volume: implementing microscopy-based evaluation produced hundreds of images per well, requiring traceability for each test step
- The software interface had to be user-friendly and flexible.
- Management of traceability files to ensure effective communication with the data management team
Our tailored approach to co-developing a high-performance platform
1. A solid initial framework designed to evolve
Our approach was multifaceted. Securing the fundamentals (throughput, sterility, traceability, and flexibility in module usage) was key. At the same time, we maintained the ability to evolve and refine the design as new insights emerged, all within a limited space. With such an ambitious project, each question led to another, and the final deliverable exceeded the initial scope.
2. Workflow Design and Coordination
The goal was to ensure a seamless workflow of dilutions, pathogen dispensing, lid management, plate securing, and microscopic reading. All of these steps had to be performed under a controlled, sterile atmosphere to protect both the user and the experiment.
To eliminate timing variations and maximize throughput, we focused on several key areas. First, we implemented a disc-type pipetting system that can store nearly 150 plates with covers in a compact space. This allows the plates to be handled directly at the pipetting station, eliminating the need to travel back and forth to a remote storage rack. Second, we developed a custom storage rack organized into cassettes of 30 microplates to match the test’s plate requirements. Finally, we developed software to orchestrate the platform. It schedules sequences, anticipates bottlenecks, and ensures reproducibility and traceability over time.
We ensured complete traceability (links between master plates, daughter plates, and assays, along with event logs) so that each plate can be directly processed by data analysis tools. The entire system was integrated under a Class 2 biosafety fume hood (two custom-merged fume hoods), with access from all four corners to allow for rapid intervention in the event of an incident.
3. Planning and Commissioning
Upon receipt of the order, the planning phase took place over two months. The platform was then assembled and tested for five months at our partner Analytik Jena in Germany. During this time, we maintained constant communication with the client’s team regarding software customization.
A Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) was conducted remotely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered the disassembly and subsequent delivery of the platform. Two months later, the final validation, the Site Acceptance Test (SAT), was completed. A few months later, the client tested known molecules to validate the system, and the platform became operational.
Result: A Smoothly Running Platform
Since its commissioning, the high-throughput screening automation platform has reliably and reproducibly operated in actual production. It has become a strategic tool for identifying new active molecules. Everything runs smoothly and under control, cycle after cycle.
This result is the product of a technical and methodological approach. The quality of the ongoing dialogue made all the difference. Through regular progress meetings, the partners were able to identify areas for improvement and develop solutions that were not included in the initial request.
Key benefits achieved
60,000 test wells per run, launched nearly daily
< 14 months : Operational platform from order placement to production launch during the COVID-19 pandemic
✓ Controlled reproducibility thanks to robust and reliable components.
✓ Full traceability for each sample, from the master plate to the analysis results.
Is your workflow ready to scale up?
Do you currently process 20, 30, or 50 plates a day using a semi-manual process? Do you feel that your process lacks reproducibility, or that your team spends too much time managing data instead of analyzing it? Now is the time to start a conversation with CyRISBio.
Don’t wait until you have all the answers. Let’s talk →