RTS Life Science new A-Range automated storage systems

RTS Life Science, a worldwide supplier of automated sample management and drug delivery testing systems, are now offering  its A-Range of automated sample storage systems. Product literature detailing the full range of solutions is now available to download via the Sample Management literature library, website: www.rtslifescience.com or by email: lifescience.info@rts-group.com

RTS' A-Range of automated sample storage systems, (pictured on the right), makes extensive use of industrial quality robotics, combined with powerful but user-friendly software, to offer flexible solutions for small sample collections through to multi-million sample library.

The RTS A2 is the smallest store in the A-Range, specifically designed for collections up to 150,000 samples, but where the benefits of cherry-picking and improved environmental control are still required. This modular solution, utilizing industry standard robotics, can be quickly installed and has minimal facilities requirements. The A2 is thus a reliable, flexible and cost-effective entry point to automated sample storage and retrieval, and is ideally suited for academic organizations or smaller research groups.

For larger pharmaceutical and biotech companies, as well as academic research institutes, the RTS A3 SmaRTStore™ is an ideal sample management solution. With the ability to store up to 360,000 samples in a very small footprint, the A3 offers the highest storage density in its class. Suitable for storing compounds or DNA, and with multi-format storage and picking capability as standard, the A3 sets new standards for quality and reliability. For companies with slightly higher capacity needs, the A3+ model is an extended version of the A3, offering an additional 50% storage capacity.

For applications where a central archive or satellite storage system is required, the RTS A4 is an ideal solution. Utilizing vertical-lift technology the A4's flexible configurability enables up to 2,000,000 samples to be stored in a very small footprint. Its multi-format capability allows the storage of plates, tubes and vials in the same unit, with options for multi-floor level configurations.

Finally, the RTS A5 systems support large scale compound management by utilizing narrow-aisle robots to access banks of high-density storage racking. Both the A5 Compact Store and A5 Sample Store are at the premium end of the RTS product range, with both solutions providing space-efficient storage for a wide-range of sample types under a variety of storage conditions.

With more than 25 years experience in the supply of automated systems, RTS has developed a range of automated storage solutions suitable for life science and biotechnology organizations of all sizes. Ranging from the A2 automated store for small sample libraries to the A5 storage systems for large scale archives and working stores, the A-Range offers a comprehensive range of solutions to suit all levels of requirement.

Sample storage, retrieval and preparation is one of the single most time-consuming activities for analytical scientists working in pharmaceutical, biotech and academic research laboratories today. The use of an automated storage system helps to increase sample throughput and enable accurate, reliable retrieval of samples. A stable and controlled low temperature environment ensures the integrity of all stored samples, while error-prone manual storage and retrieval activities are avoided.

RTS Life Science in profile
RTS Life Science is a UK-based supplier of drug discovery and drug delivery automation solutions for sample management and high throughput testing in laboratories. RTS Life Science is owned by Robotic Technology Systems PLC, an AIM-listed company.

For further information, or to source the brochure, view website: www.rtslifescience.com  or email: lifescience.info@rts-group.com   

Agilent Technologies creates website resources to help
further academic research and provide support for Stimulus Grants

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) has launched a comprehensive academic resource website, www.agilent.com/chem/academia for scientists worldwide seeking information about funding, collaborations, teaching tools and internships. Additionally, Agilent has created www.agilent.com/chem/grantsupport a landing page that provides access to data and specifications via grant-application toolkits as well as support for grant preparation that targets U.S. stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

"Through a wide variety of programs, Agilent is committed to the ongoing support of academic scientists and to helping develop the next generation of thinkers," said Linda Roettger, senior marketing operations director for Agilent Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis division. "Scientists can access the sites and discover how they can leverage our resources to help them succeed. With offerings for academia in funding, collaborations, teaching tools and internships, Agilent is empowering the success of scientists in academia."

Agilent has been steadily increasing market share in academia and government segments. The grant support site comes at a time when stimulus funding is being rapidly disbursed into institutions across the United States. Customers can access data, specifications and other critical information to quickly collect grant information and meet urgent submission deadlines.

Agilent has and continues to support scientific collaborations with universities worldwide through direct grants and collaborative research. Agilent also sponsors undergraduate and graduate internship opportunities for students to gain practical work experience in technical and non-technical disciplines.

For further information, view website:  www.agilent.com    Refer to page 264

Optical pH sensing cuvettes turn
spectrophotometers into drift-free pH meters

Proprietary sol gel coating materials developed by Ocean Optics have enabled new technology for convenient, non-intrusive monitoring of biological samples. By encapsulating pH indicator dyes into coatings applied to its new Smart pH Cuvettes, Ocean Optics miniature fibre optic spectrometers and accessories can be used for optical pH sensing of 5.0-9.0 pH range samples. With Smart pH Cuvettes, pH readings can be taken quickly and accurately using existing spectrometer setups, negating the need for a dedicated pH meter. pH measurements are critical in applications ranging from DNA analysis, drug discovery, and blood analysis, to environmental monitoring and food and beverage production.

Ocean Optics' Smart pH Cuvettes turn an existing spectrometer set up into a drift free optical pH meter.

The Smart pH Cuvettes' immobilized indicator dye is encapsulated into a robust sol gel matrix, allowing for the diffusion of ions while preventing leaching of the dye. Unlike traditional pH electrode meters, Smart pH Cuvettes can be used for monitoring low conductivity samples such as boiler water. In addition, fully integrated Smart Cuvette pH systems provide full spectral analysis to help eliminate errors from changes in turbidity, temperature and ionic strength. The physical properties of the immobilised indicator dye eliminate the need for frequent calibration.

Smart pH Cuvettes are 1-cm square, come in plastic Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or quartz and are coated on their inner walls with a sol gel embedded with Bromocresol Green pH indicator dye. The cuvettes are available separately (in 8-, 50- and 100-cuvette packs) or as part of a fully integrated desktop or handheld spectrometer-based pH system.

The PMMA Cuvettes have a temperature range of -5 °C to 70 °C, while quartz is available for high-temperature applications. The PMMA Cuvettes are compatible with aqueous solutions, ethanol/methanol solutions, ammonia, peroxides and sodium hypochlorite solutions. The quartz cuvettes also can be used in acetone and concentrated acids (including nitric, sulfuric and acetic). Although PMMA cuvettes are designed to be disposable, they can be used multiple times depending on sample environments.

For additional applications, such as through-package monitoring, Ocean Optics' proprietary pH-sensitive transducer materials can also be formulated as self-adhesive patches and integrated into biological and other types of sample containers.

Ocean Optics in profile
Ocean Optics is a leading supplier of solutions for optical sensing - fundamental methods of measuring and interpreting the interaction of light with matter.  With locations in Asia and Europe, the company has sold more than 130,000 spectrometers worldwide since 1992. Ocean Optics' extensive line of complementary technologies includes chemical sensors, analytical instrumentation, optical fibres, metrology products and optics. The company is a subsidiary of Halma p.l.c., an international market leader in safety, health and sensor technology.

To learn more about Smart pH Cuvettes, or the company's full range of optical oxygen and pH sensors, e-mail: info@oceanoptics.eu.  Refer to page 257

Starna offers lifetime guarantee on certified reference materials

Starna Scientific offers a lifetime guarantee on all Starna® manufactured Certified Reference Materials (CRMs). The guarantee provides for a free of charge replacement should the assigned values move outside the expanded uncertainty budget within the recertification period of two years. The guarantee is also conditional on the references not having been optically, physically or thermally abused and recertified by Starna at least every two years.
 
"A lifetime guarantee on CRMs is not offered by anybody else in the market," commented Keith Hulme, Starna's Managing Director.  "Starna is one of only six organisations currently accredited by UKAS to ISO 17025 and ISO Guide 34 as a Reference Material producer, and within this elite group there is no other manufacturer in our specific field of expertise, namely, Certified Reference Materials for UV/Visible/NIR spectrophotometer qualification".

Starna's high quality CRMs, which offer guaranteed stability and accuracy of value assignment, are used worldwide across a range of regulated industries, such as forensic laboratories, leading pharmaceutical manufacturing organisations, as well as accredited laboratories/metrological Q.A. facilities. Starna is able to offer a lifetime guarantee based on the company's forty years experience of quality manufacturing supported by its attention to detail which is coupled with more than ten years of accumulated accredited data.
 
Starna also provides its expertise in the re-certification of reference materials manufactured by primary NMI laboratories.
 
For further information, view website: www.starna.com  or email: sales@starna.com   Refer to page 295