Fluidigm this week launched Access Array, an integrated fluidic circuit designed to support high-throughput re-sequencing, targeted enrichment, sample barcoding, and library preparation for sequencing using amplicon tagging.
The Access Array system consists of IFCs, instruments, and software. The South San Francisco, Calif.-based company said Access Array can process 48 samples against 48 amplicons, providing 2,304 independent reactions at a time.
Access Array also has the ability to harvest the sample out of the chip. Once the sample processing has been completed in the chip it automatically returns the sample to the inlets where they can be easily extracted and placed into a quantitation step and readied for sequencing, Fluidigm said.
The Access Array IFC complements Fluidigm’s SlingShot Sample Quantitation Kit. Together, the two products provide researchers with the ability to do front-end library preparation.
Fluidigm this week also announced an early-access program for Access Arrays. Researchers can submit a proposal describing how the new chip would help their library sample preparation efforts. Fluidigm will generate libraries for selected participants gratis.
Luminex this week launched its FLEXMAP 3D system, a high-throughput multiplexing instrument that allows scientists to simultaneously perform up to 500 tests on a single sample.
The system is based on Luminex's xMAP technology, and enables analysis of up to 500 analytes per well in a 96- or 384-well plate automated format. FLEXMAP 3D can perform multiplexed genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic biomarker analysis, and is ideal for applications such as SNP genotyping and gene expression analysis, according to the Austin, Tex.-based company.
Luminex is targeting medium and high-volume laboratories, such as academic, reference and pharmaceutical research laboratories, with the tool.
Lab901 last week released ScreenTape R6K, a product for rapid RNA sample quality control.
ScreenTape R6K delivers an objective quality metric for total RNA, which is useful prior to carrying out microarray and qRT-PCR experiments, the Edinburgh, UK-based firm said.
The assay runs on Lab901's TapeStation instrument, which competes in the PCR diagnostics and protein electrophoresis markets.