Microplates and automated liquid handling of nanoliter to microliter volumes are ubiquitous in modern, industrial-scale life sciences. Measuring sample volumes and measuring and controlling the volumes of transferred aliquots of reagent solutions is the key to reproducibility: Why do two experiments yield different signal levels? Is one drug candidate more potent, or one patient sicker than another? Are observed differences due to actual science, to variability or degradation of liquid handling equipment, or to other things such as unexpected (and unaccounted for) variation in input sample volumes or sample evaporation? Interpreting differences due to actual science is valuable while (mis-) interpreting differences due to other factors represents a cost: less confidence in data, otherwise unnecessary replication of experiments, higher reagent spend, and more consumption of precious samples.
Knowing liquid volumes with a high degree of accuracy and precision is critical for high quality experimental data and for the correct interpretation of results: aliquot volumes directly determine reagent concentrations, one of the most important parameters in any experiment.
Ongoing monitoring of liquid transfer volumes can help identify emerging liquid handling robot volume errors that might otherwise go undetected for longer. Is the performance of a channel on your liquid handler degrading slowly? Is a tip in the center of a multichannel dispensing head clogged? Especially when handling small volumes or a narrow range of volumes, even large relative volume errors can be hard to spot.
What if you could optimize liquid handling workflows and drastically improve quality control by tracking actual sample volumes through each step in your process? What if your liquid handler could use these actual volumes and compensate for variations in sample and transfer volumes? What if you could detect liquid handling robot malfunctions in near real-time?
Meniscense was founded to bring this vision to your lab.
Our technology:
- Is completely non-contact and non-destructive
- Offers very high resolution
- Works on most liquids