SPT Labtech and Agilent have announced an automated target enrichment protocol for firefly+, compatible with Agilent's SureSelect Max DNA library preparation kit, fully automating the library preparation process. This enhances reproducibility, reduces errors, and shortens time, supporting the efficiency of genomic analysis.

On July 9, 2025, SPT Labtech announced a strategic partnership with the startup Semarion, originating from the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. This partnership will integrate SPT Labtech's firefly automated pipetting system with Semarion's SemaCyte microcarrier technology, enabling a flexible and scalable automated workflow for cell assays. This innovative collaboration will make it possible to miniaturize and automate adhesion cell assays, which have traditionally been challenging, and is expected to improve efficiency and reproducibility. It will also be adaptable to image analysis-based high-content assays such as cell painting. Semarion's CEO, Jeroen Verheyen, stated, "This partnership will create a flexible and miniaturized workflow that will significantly accelerate the drug discovery process." The two companies plan to work on developing joint protocols, generating validation data, and optimizing workflow strategies to provide researchers with more adaptable cell-based drug discovery support tools.

In every laboratory, the integrity of samples is extremely important. Our comPOUND automated sample management system has transformed the organization, storage, and retrieval methods of laboratory samples for about 25 years. By automating essential daily tasks, it provides researchers with an environment where they can focus on their core research with peace of mind. The longevity of this system is supported by our unique pneumatic (air-driven) technology. This technology minimizes the occurrence of issues in low-temperature environments caused by robots, ensuring stable operation in a consistent low-temperature setting. It reliably delivers samples to the necessary locations at the right times. This innovative system was first unveiled at the SBS conference held in Edinburgh in 1999 and has continuously evolved to meet the needs of research environments, maintaining its status as an industry standard.

SPT Labtech has officially been certified for the Illumina DNA Prep automation workflow using the firefly liquid handling platform and has been selected as an Illumina certified partner. The firefly features a compact design that combines high-precision pipetting with flexibility, achieving improved reproducibility and throughput. Its intuitive software and walkaway operation contribute to the efficiency of complex NGS workflows. This certification makes the implementation of Illumina DNA Prep automation using firefly more secure and easier. We will continue to support new applications through collaboration with Illumina.

3D cell culture has gained increasing attention in recent years as a method for studying cells in an environment that more accurately mimics the tissue structure in vivo. However, constructing 3D models requires scaffolds and matrices that support cell growth, and the dispensing of these materials poses challenges, leading to issues with reproducibility and efficiency. To address these challenges, PeptiMatrix Ltd. collaborated with SPT Labtech to evaluate the dispensing performance of PeptiMatrix hydrogel matrices using the dragonfly discovery liquid dispensing system. This study presents an integrated approach to achieving high-throughput, cost-effective, and reproducible 3D cell culture assays, and discusses how this can accelerate advancements in drug discovery and research.

Professor Matthew Gound of the University of Cambridge is advancing the development of chemical reactions that were previously impossible using traditional methods by utilizing high-throughput experimentation (HTE). HTE allows for the parallel execution of a large number of reactions, enabling the simultaneous examination of many variables such as catalysts, substrates, and additives. Using automated liquid dispensers like mosquito(R), precise reagent handling at the nanoliter scale is performed, accommodating reaction setups and analyses in 384 or 1536 well plates. The research subjects range widely, including photoredox catalysts, C–H activation, and nucleic acid (RNA, DNA) chemistry, allowing for efficient exploration even with small sample sizes. Additionally, analytical techniques such as UPLC-MS and high-throughput NMR enable the acquisition of quantitative and high-quality data. The flexible operation is also characterized by conducting reactions at the necessary scale using partially filled 1536 well plates. In the future, such high-quality data will be essential for predicting chemical reactions using AI and machine learning, highlighting the increasing importance of data science.

The Norwegian Sequencing Centre (NSC), located at Oslo University Hospital, has recognized the importance of lab automation in fields such as proteomics and genomics through practical experience. Recently, they have implemented liquid handling solutions, including our firefly system, significantly improving workflows to address daily operations and high-throughput challenges. These automations have enhanced work efficiency, optimized reagent usage, and reduced the risk of errors. In NSC's automation efforts, the following factors were key selection criteria: - Cost - Efficiency - Usability - Service support Considering various other conditions, our system was adopted as the most suitable for the automated workflow. It is believed that the importance of automation will continue to grow, becoming an essential element for core facilities. NSC's initiatives are expected to serve as a reference for other research institutions and as a model for maximizing the benefits of automation. For detailed news, please refer to the articles linked.

In the early stages of drug discovery, the processes of design, manufacturing, testing, and analysis (DMTA) require efficient sample management. Efficient sample storage and tracking, low-volume dispensing of assay-ready plates, workflows for analysis, and automation are necessary. However, accurate and efficient sample management demands significant costs and infrastructure, particularly requiring automation and IT support, which often leads small biotechnology companies to rely on external contract research organizations. In this webinar, the Artios Pharma team will showcase practical examples of an automated end-to-end workflow for sample management using Titian Sample Bank software and SPT Labtech's automation systems. * Up to 40% reduction in data entry cycle time * Reduction in operational costs * Ensuring supply and tracking of clinical samples, enabling rapid data reporting to facilitate decision-making How integrated automated workflows have streamlined the DMTA cycle How to implement an in-house compound management system as an alternative to outsourcing Benefits of automated workflows, such as improved data integrity and expedited decision-making

In this webinar, we will present successful cases of automating long-read whole genome library preparation using the PacBio SMRTbell Long Read Library Preparation Kit 3.0 (SPK3). This automated workflow, conducted on the SPT Labtech firefly platform, provides high-quality sequencing results while maintaining DNA integrity as an alternative to manual processes, creating long-read libraries from eight species, including humans, mice, and crickets. This research contributes to the "Darwin Tree of Life Project," which aims to generate reference genomes for approximately 70,000 eukaryotic species in the British Isles. Automation improves the efficiency and standardization of library preparation, reducing manual labor and errors. This is an opportunity to learn about maintaining DNA integrity and applying it to diverse organisms using the PacBio SMRTbell kit. Lesley Shirley and Ben Farr from the Wellcome Sanger Institute will participate in the Q&A session to answer your questions.

- Screening of tuberculosis treatment drugs using the latest automation technology - Identification of promising enzyme inhibitors through the evaluation of 6,000 compounds - Confirmation of the effectiveness of automation systems in streamlining the drug discovery process - Contribution to the development of new treatment methods for drug-resistant tuberculosis In research aimed at the novel development of tuberculosis treatment drugs, a collaborative study was conducted by SPT Labtech, Automata, GSK, and the Francis Crick Institute. Utilizing the latest automation technology, large-scale screening targeting key metabolic pathways of the tuberculosis bacterium was carried out. In particular, the efficacy, selectivity, and microbiological effectiveness of 6,000 compounds were evaluated. This initiative accelerated the identification of promising enzyme inhibitors and established a foundation for further drug discovery chemistry research. Additionally, important insights were gained regarding the potential integration of robotic platforms in high-throughput drug discovery through improvements in the automated workflow. This research represents a significant step in the development of new treatment methods in response to the increasing challenge of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

In this presentation with MIT.nano, SPT Labtech's cryo-EM development Scientist Michele Darrow discusses using new automation to overcome commonly experienced sample preparation bottlenecks ahead of the microscope.

About this webinar In this webinar presented by Scott Mosser and Christina Minnick – Pharmacology, Assay Operations – Merck, we explore how automation played a pivotal role in achieving their goals. View the on-demand webinar today and:gain insights into how automation increased the capacity and scale of operations

About this webinar This webinar explores how measurement of the kinetics of drug-target interaction can help optimise functional compound properties within this dynamic environment. Using case studies from the CNS and respiratory disease areas, Dr Nick Holliday Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at Excellerate Bioscience will highlight the benefits of optimising binding on and off rates for duration of action and generation of kinetic selectivity, together with improved inhibitor and antagonist effects.

About this webinar High-throughput genetic screens are an important and widely-used tool in both functional genomics and drug discovery. Our research is focused on developing and applying new technologies to allow larger and more efficient genetic screens to streamline and accelerate the drug discovery process

Creating the optimal workflow is something that any researcher wants, and those focused on NGS are no different. Having the right overall design ensures that you know that your budgets, time and samples are being best used to get the data you need. But the big question is what can you add to your lab that enables you to reach that goal?

Announcement of a webinar for researchers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, as well as academia, interested in proteomics and multi-omics. Title: "Advanced proteomic biomarker discovery for understanding disease pathophysiology" Speakers: Eric Schordan, PhD and Kamila Koprowska, PhD Overview: How large-scale proteomics data generation, integrating the Olink Explore platform and positive displacement liquid handling technology, provides deep insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying various drugs and diseases, and how it offers a comprehensive reading of protein expression levels in biological samples.

In this webinar, hear how a collaboration between SPT Labtech, Automata, GSK, and researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, employed cutting-edge automation tools, including the dragonfly(R) discovery liquid handling system by SPT Labtech and Automata’s LINQ platform, to conduct a high-throughput enzymatic screen targeting a vulnerable pathway in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb).

Cambridge, UK, 10 Dec 2024 – SPT Labtech, a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of automated instrumentation and consumables for life science applications, announces that its compact, user-friendly barcode reader, BioMicroLab Scan, now integrates with the eLabNext Digital Laboratory Platform (DLP). ....

Using Dragonfly discovery, a culture medium with high viscosity was dispensed (Hydrogels: Matrigel, GrowDex) and used for 3D cell culture. For details, please refer to the application note from the link.

Mosquito HV genomics has contributed to the results of single-cell research. Article Title "Cellular decision making in normal and leukemic blood stem cells" Researchers Nicola Wilson, Senior Research Associate at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute For more details, please see the link.

Identifying early markers of transition between human health and disease is a key objective of systems medicine. This strategy requires the collection of diverse longitudinal data from each individual before and after symptoms appear. However, until recently, the comprehensive collection of plasma proteomics has been a barrier to this. In this webinar, we will discuss how high-throughput and high-sensitivity protein profiling, combining Olink technology with SPT Labtech's liquid handling automation technology, has resolved this bottleneck. - The importance of longitudinal deep phenotyping, including plasma proteomics, in systems medicine, complex disease research, and biomarker discovery. - The significance of establishing reference values and ranges for normal human plasma. - How potential prognostic markers for severe and "long" COVID-19 were identified from the plasma proteome. - How adopting the bundled infrastructure of Olink and SPT Labtech enables high throughput and uncompromised data quality in genomics, single-cell, RNA sequencing, and more.

In this on-demand webinar, we explore the various methods of COVID-19 testing: qPCR, COVID-seq, antigen and antibody detection, and others. Coupling these assays with low volume, high speed automation has made great strides toward achieving the high-throughput testing essential to ending the COIVID-19 pandemic.

n this webinar, Mike Humphrys describes a novel automated workflow for 16S rRNA sequencing; demonstrating dramatically reduced hands-on time and reagent consumption with miniaturized reaction volumes.

In this webinar, scientists from MIT and from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics show how SPT Labtech’s mosquito liquid handlers are enabling high-throughput NGS library preparation and single cell transcriptomics.

Firefly is being used in the Darwin Tree of Life Project conducted by the Wellcome Sanger Institute, a project aimed at generating reliable and robust open-source data that can be used for ongoing research by exploring the genetic profiles of diverse species. Please take a look at the evaluation results.

Access this webinar to discover how our blot-free high-speed approach to vitrification is streamlining the flow of good grids to the microscope whilst capturing essential data to improve the repeatability of cryo-EM samples. We'll share some real world examples of the potential impact on samples with air-water interface issues (preferred orientation, aggregation, denaturation).

In this webinar recording, entitled “Optimizing automated low volume, high value protein crystallization screening”, distinguished speakers from both academia and industry discuss the benefits of SPT Labtech’s mosquito crystal and mosquito LCP for their crystallization studies/trials.

About this webinar In early 2020, it was difficult to imagine what would be achieved in laboratories across the globe as the pressure to increase testing capacity and understand the viral lineages of SARS-CoV-2 grew exponentially. Complete the form below to access this 3-part webinar, during which there are presentations from researchers who have transformed their labs, expanded their teams, and implemented automation to show what can be expected for the future of pathogen surveillance.

In this workshop recorded at EMBO Single Cell Biology 2019, Dr. Emilio Yángüez López-Cano from the Functional Genomics Center Zurich discusses the single cell sequencing strategies deployed at his core facility. He explains how they select and combine different single cell RNA-seq approaches, adapting them to the requirements of the research project and the complexity of the samples. Our expert also provides an introduction to our liquid handling instruments and our applications in single cell genomics.

About this webinar Respective assays range from simple binding analysis to complex phenotypic assays with multiple read-out parameters. In order to understand the molecular mode of action (mMoA) of compounds as early as possible in the drug identification process, Merck also implement mMoA assays, such as competition assays or jump dilution assays into the HTS campaigns.