THE NEW Centre for Biomolecular Science at the University of Nottingham, UK, has been given a recent boost with the installation of sample storage and tube-to-plate processing systems from TTP Labtech.
TTP Labtech's Compiler plate system in situ
The fully automated facility for the Managed Chemical Compound Collection (MCCC) provides storage for more than 100,000 diverse drug-like small molecules for high throughput compound screening. The facility is key to the university’s drug research programme, and also provides services to biopharma companies on a commercial basis.
TTP’s Compound modular sample storage system provides secure fully automated storage and dispensing facility for chemical and biological compound libraries. Up to 100,000 1.4ml tubes, or 200,000 0.5ml microtubes, can be stored per unit in a temperature controlled, inert environment. The company’s Compiler high throughput, tube-to-plate processing syste has also been installed at Nottingham.
Sample storage in microtube format allows cherrypicking of only the samples of interest, and reduces the risk of sample degradation from unnecessary freeze/thaw cycles.
The director of the university’s Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, Professor Peter Fischer, described the specifications of the system needed: “We were looking for an integrated compound storage and handling system that would increase throughput, maintain long-term compound integrity, and improve reliability with complete inventory control and unattended operation.
“Translational research is a key focus in the university, with pharmaceutical companies turning to academic partners to support compound screening for drug research and development. The long-term vision is to provide a unique compound collection attractive to academic and pharma partners – especially SMEs without their own collections”.