Eppendorf said recently that it has launched the Mastercycler Nexus X2 thermal cycler.
The product is ideal for researchers looking to carry out two runs of PCR simultaneously, without compromising on the number of samples, Eppendorf said. The instrument comprises two asymmetric blocks of 64 and 32 wells that can be programmed and run completely independently, enabling two separate PCR protocols to be run in parallel.
With reduced noise emission (less than 40 dB), low power consumption, and a small footprint, the Mastercycler Nexus X2 is ideal for use in busy academic laboratories or any institution with multiple users or large research groups, Eppendorf said.
Bibby Scientific's Techne business has launched an in situ hybridization adapter for its Prime thermal cyclers.
This adapter allows users to use the Prime 96x0.2 ml thermal cycler in an even greater range of applications. By simply inserting the adapter, a standard thermal cycler is instantly converted to an in situ instrument capable of accommodating up to four standard size microscope slides with +/- 0.25 °C block uniformity.
The in situ adapter is a single piece of precision-engineered aluminium and, other than occasional cleaning with a mild laboratory detergent, requires no maintenance. The design allows easy removal of glass slides via the corner cutouts, and the aluminium perimeter ridge means it is completely compatible with the thermal cycler lid. This removes the risk of damage to glass slides and PCR samples if the lid is closed, especially useful in thermal cyclers with automatic or non-adjustable lids, Techne said.
The adapter can upgrade both new and existing thermal cyclers, and is available now with Bibby Scientific's two-year warranty.