Objective

Traditional sample management and high throughput screening has relied heavily on high density microplates for compound storage and tip-based liquid handling solutions for processing. Drawbacks of these technologies have included increased microplate storage space requirements (empty wells cannot be excluded), sample integrity challenges (accessing sample subsets in a microplate requires thawing the entire plate) and compound loss during transfer (due to adhesion to or contamination from the tip plastic itself). Superior Sample Storage Solution FluidX™ AcoustiX™ Sample Tubes offer 70 μL working volume with a 15 μL dead volume when working with DMSO. The storage tubes have a unique cap design capable of withstanding over 500 cap/decap cycles and maintaining long term (years) sample integrity.

Adoption of individual tubes for storage and acoustic liquid handling technologies for transfer have addressed most but not all these drawbacks. To date, sample tubes have not been compatible with acoustic liquid handling technology necessitating creation of working microplates using tip-based liquid handling systems.

We present an overview and performance details for a new acoustic liquid handling technology and compatible acoustic tubes that offers the full benefit of tube storage and acoustic liquid handling without the historical drawbacks. We will demonstrate the utility of the technology in maximizing compound storage both in terms of maximizing space and maintaining sample integrity. The combination of acoustic tubes and acoustic liquid handling offers a more efficient, streamlined approach to non-contact acoustic transfer of samples and reagents for sample management and small molecule screening groups.