The provision of NGS Liquid Handlers at Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is seeking to expand its capacity for high throughput sample processing and is looking to procure two high capacity automated liquid handlers. The Clinical Genomics laboratory delivers diagnostic services to cancer patients and is heavily involved in diagnostic trial work. The department currently holds full UKAS accreditation under ISO 15189 and is enrolled in all relevant UK EQA schemes for tests conducted within its routine laboratories.

Automated laboratory systems allow for high throughput sample processing together with constant and reliable delivery of reproducible high quality results when using standardized methods. However, implementation of such solutions requires a significant initial investment in terms of both time and resources. The benefit of automated platforms is that once those methods are set up, operating them and processing large numbers of samples is quicker, more efficient, less expensive and more reliable than performed manually.

Liquid handlers sought by Clinical Genomics are specified to perform full KAPA HyperPlus NGS Library Prep as well as QIAseq Targeted DNA Panel Prep on 96 samples in a single fully independent setup. They are also specified to network with existing LIMS software, as well as accept paperless documents and worksheets. The Accelerated Restricted Procedure is used for this purchase.