Mario Nikolas Graeve, Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung IPA, Abteilung Laborautomatisierung und Bioproduktionstechnik
Automation of cell-based assays becomes increasingly important in all fields of life sciences around the globe. Smart connection of processes reduce labor-intensive work and process times while increasing reproducibility and throughput, thus significantly improving the overall efficiency of the whole workflow. Automation is possible for almost any process within the modern laboratory infrastructure in general. However, each approach harbors more and less severe obstacles of technological and biological nature, which have to be addressed in a unique fashion.
At the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing and Automation, we analyze the automation potential of various processes in user-specific environments. Strong collaboration of internal and external scientists and engineers facilitates connection of commercially available technologies, as well as development of new hardware and software solutions to overcome the individual challenges of biological processes in laboratory automation.
