sample tracking

Most laboratories have sample tracking for the data for the samples. Often there is a database of samples in a microplate that has been 'bought in' from outside. Rarely is there a positive identification of microplate contents when the plate is made up internally. No place is this more important than a forensic science DNA laboratory. The automate.it storstar offers guaranteed sample location by presenting the user with only one position to place the sample in the storage system..

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Other positive sample identification techniques include 1D and 2D barcode labels. Full information on barcoding.

The requirements of a Forensic Science laboratory include:

• Ability to process DNA samples as fast as possible to react to customer requirements for early intelligence information
• High Quality results with high success rates to ensure all evidence is available for consideration
• Chain of custody information which withstands challenge in Law Courts and provides full confidence in the accuracy of the results
• Process integrity and confidence in sample tracking to remove doubt about errors
• Service provision which maximizes evidence obtained for money spent.

The benefits of automation are:

• Allows high throughput processing reducing overall costs of the service providing value for money forensic science
• Reduces Turnaround times to allow faster responses in criminal investigations, especially important in no-suspect cases where early intelligence is critical
• Expandable capacity to help organizations react to peaks in sample submissions without detriment to turnaround times and creation of backlogs
• Reduces potential for human error thereby eliminating numerous checks which slow down the process whilst giving the same high quality output.

The automate.it WELLstar took deep well microplates or normal height microplates with an adapter and stored buccal scrapes directly into the microplate. The unit has a perspex cover with an aperture that allows the user to see how the plate is being loaded but only offers one position to locate the sample.

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automate.it WELLstar

In an improvement programme, the Forensic Science Service then decided that it would be best to avoid handling the samples at all so two new devices were manufactured (automate.it TUBEstar SAMPLER and automate.it TUBEstar STORAGE) that allowed the two Eppendorf tubes sent in by the police to be places directly into the device, either held open for sample preparation (SAMPLER) or closed for refrigeration and storage (STORAGE).

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TUBEstar Sample Loading system

As more customers have purchased the range of instruments, PAA decided that a more flexible design would be have one instrument with an array of trays that would hold different collection type, microplates, Eppendorf tubes, screw cap tubes, etc.

The automate.it storstar takes a range of tube types into a range of tube holders. Cardboard boxes, deep well plates, non standard Eppendorf tube holders can all be used at sample holders. Full details about the automate.it storstar.

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automate.it storstar logged storage system