BD, Hamilton Team Up To Utilize Robotics In Single-cell Multiomics Experiments

(RTTNews) - Becton, Dickinson and Company or BD (BDX), a medical technology company, announced a deal with Hamilton, a maker of laboratory automation technology, to develop automated applications together with robotics-compatible reagent kits.

The collaboration aims to enable greater standardization and reduced human error when conducting large-scale single-cell multiomics experiments.

Steve Conly, Worldwide President at BD Biosciences, said: "By integrating Hamilton's robotic technology into our end-to-end portfolio of single-cell multiomics solutions, BD continues to leverage automation so that more researchers, whether academic, biopharmaceutical, or contract research organization are empowered to perform larger scale single-cell multiomics studies with confidence." Following the collaboration, BD aims to deliver a suite of BD Rhapsody Single-Cell Analysis Library Preparation Reagent Kits that can be performed on the Hamilton Microlab NGS STAR robotic liquid-handling platform.

The combination will automate steps, including pipetting and thermal cycling, to produce DNA samples or "libraries" that are ready for genetic sequencing.

In single-cell multiomics experiments, constructing libraries of fragmented genetic information that can be read by sequencing instruments is an essential first step before next-generation sequencing or NGS can be performed and insights from cells can be gathered.

NGS library preparation is historically a time-intensive process with manual steps that can result in inconsistent results and compromised data quality.

The BD Rhapsody Single-Cell Analysis Library Preparation Reagent Kits and Hamilton Microlab NGS STAR™ applications will be developed and released in phases starting in 2024, BD said.