Purchase of Optima XPN80

The equipment will be used for medical and biological research and thus, will be VAT Exempt. It will be used to isolate exosomes/nanoparticles from biological systems. These exosomes, once characterized, may then be used as biomarkers for disease, or as potential new drugs/drug carriers for the treatment of a wide spectrum of degenerative disease. The instrument can also be used to purify any other nanoparticle both biological and synthetic.This requirement has been procured as a Single Tender Process due to patented technology and compatibility with other Beckman Coulter kit within the university. If the rotor needs to be replaced or swapped out, it can be done easily with this equipment, but an alternative instrument would require the purchase of new rotors. The same is true for the tubes, which are only compatible with this instrument. The supplier of this equipment has sole distribution rights of the equipment, therefore there is only one source with no satisfactory alterative.