Bio-Rad’s New Automated Droplet Generator for Droplet Digital™ PCR Saves Time and Improves Data Quality

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. has announced the launch of its Automated Droplet Generator (AutoDG™ Instrument) for digital PCR. Combined with the QX200™ Droplet Reader and a laptop computer with QuantaSoft™ Software, the QX200™ AutoDG™ Droplet Digital™ PCR System provides a worry-free, automated way to generate droplets for high-quality data.

“With a quick setup, you’re able to walk away and return to a full plate of droplets ready for thermal cycling and analysis,” said Carolyn Reifsnyder, Bio-Rad marketing manager, Digital Biology Center.

Generating droplets with a hand pipet can be labor intensive and time consuming, and variations in pipetting habits among different users can cause some degree of inconsistency in the resulting data. Bio-Rad’s AutoDG Instrument creates droplets quickly, reproducibly, and reliably. At maximum capacity, the system can generate droplets for 96 wells in less than 45 minutes.

“Droplet Digital PCR is sensitive enough to detect differences in people’s pipetting habits,” said Viresh Patel, Bio-Rad senior marketing manager, Digital Biology Center. “This instrument eliminates that variability.”

The AutoDG Instrument has its own hood and HEPA filter, reducing contamination so researchers can create droplets on a standard laboratory bench, without the need for a PCR cabinet or cleanroom. Adding to the instrument’s ease of use is a color touch-screen interface and deck lighting that guides the operator through system setup to ensure no steps are forgotten. Confirmation is provided once the required consumables are loaded correctly and 45 minutes later the droplets are ready.

Bio-Rad’s AutoDG Instrument can generate droplets for fluorescent probe–based detection or EvaGreen dye–based detection. The instrument is compatible with the QX100™ and QX200 Droplet Digital PCR Systems.