Peristaltic pumps helping to automate DNA assay process

Bee Robotics Limited of Caernarfon, North Wales, incorporate M Series pumps in their "Bee Blot", an innovative instrument developed to automate a DNA related assay process for testing donor tissue and matching for potential transplant surgery. There are now more than two hundred in service throughout the world. Seven pumps are fitted in each unit, six for dispensing reagents to tray wells, the seventh for aspiration.

Managing Director Steve Jones cites reliability, simple, easy tube changing, ultra compact, space-saving design, hygiene and guaranteed integrity of the sample during the pumping process as primary factors in selection of Watson-Marlow peristaltic pumps for fitting into the Bee Blot instrument. The pumps used are single channel Model M1, fitted with Marprene tubing; flow rate is 1 to 4 ml/min.

The system provides fully automated washing and hybridisation of strip based assays and is capable of accommodating six different reagents and a total of 48 strips per run using a stepper motor controlled dispensing head with six reagent channels, each with its own pump and dedicated tubing, dispensing to tray wells. Reversibility is an important feature of the pump for the duty. After the last reagent dispensing step, the pumps are reversed and reagent is returned to the dispensing bottles. An automatic cleaning step is incorporated into the operational cycle when cleaning fluid is passed through the tubing.

Designed for OEM pumping duties, Watson-Marlow M Series pumps are produced in single, two, three, four and eight channel configuration for flow rates from 10 µl/min to 200 ml/min.

More information about the Watson-Marlow OEM pumps range.