Automated ELISA Workcell

	ELISA is a commonly used technique that can benefit from automation to allow walkaway processing of plates, freeing up lab workers for other productive tasks. The OVERLORD™ Automated ELISA workcell provides automation of the key tasks required to run ELISA assays, with the operator input being to add the sample plates to the input stacks and to analyze the data generated by the system. These workcells process 34 96-well microplates or 24 384-well microplates in less than 11 hours.
	The CAD drawing shows the conceptual overhead view of the dual ELISA workcells that Biosero built and installed for this customer. Each workcell contains the same components, with one set up to process 96-well plates and one set up to process 384-well plates.
Click pictures for larger version.

Each ELISA workcell consists of:

• KiNEDx arm with random access multiple stack storage for microplates
• Apricot Designs TPS-24 Serial Dilution 24-channel pipettor
• Molecular Devices AquaMax DW4 Washer/Dispenser
• Bio-Tek® MicroFill™ Dispenser
• Tecan Power Washer 384™
• Molecular Devices SpectraMax® 340 Reader
• Bar Code Scanner
• Tables and Mounting Hardware
• PAA OVERLORD™ Automation Software

Typical order of operations:

1. User loads protocol into OVERLORD (in this case, imported via spreadsheet)
2. OVERLORD does error-checking on imported protocol to be sure number of samples is correct
3. User loads plates into stack
4. Robot arm takes each plate from stack and scans bar code, then returns to rack
5. User fills all reagents and loads disposable tip racks as necessary while step 4 is performed.
6. Robot moves plate to DW4, blocking reagent is added
7. Plate returned to stacks for incubate 1 hour
8. Robot moves plate to Power Washer 384 for washing
9. Robot moves plate to TPS-24 and primary antibody is added
10. Plate returned to stacks for incubate 1 hour
11. Robot moves plate to Power Washer 384 for washing
12. Robot moves plate to DW4 and secondary antibody is added
13. Plate returned to stacks for incubate 1 hour
14. Robot moves plate to Power Washer 384 for washing
15. Robot moves plate to DW4 and tertiary antibody is added
16. Plate returned to stacks for incubate 1 hour
17. Robot moves plate to Power Washer 384 for washing
18. Robot moves plate to DW4 and blocking solution is added
19. Plate returned to stacks for incubate 2 hours 50 minutes
20. Robot moves plate to MicroFill and Stop reagent is added
21. Robot moves plate to SpectraMax, bar code is scanned again and plate is read
22. The SpectraMax software saves the results and OVERLORD appends the plate's bar code ID along with other user-specified information

The OVERLORD software uses static scheduling to manage all of the various movements for optimal throughput of the entire batch of plates.