Second European Biomek® User Summit

Divonne, France – This year, the 2nd European Biomek User Summit took place June 4-5 in Divonne, France. Divonne, typically more famous for its casino and its proximity to Geneva, saw users of Biomek equipment and Beckman Coulter experts in different areas of automation and liquid handling for this event. Liquid handling it was. After an unusual drought in Europe during March and April, it rained for weeks. Just in time for the user summit, this “liquid handling” stopped so that all participants were rewarded with great weather that allowed for an open-air welcome reception and lunch.

The 2nd User Summit started with a selection of hands-on workshops on instruments and simulated systems. These workshops dealt with topics such as "Optimizing Pipetting Performance," "SAMI Tips & Tricks," and “Datasets & Data Repository." The participants of these workshops were very satisfied with what they learned from true experts in the different areas of optimizing Biomek systems. Participants asked that future meetings feature an even larger variety and more time for these workshops. Monday evening was the time for networking among Biomek users, facilitated by a welcome reception and a fantastic dinner in the hills of Divonne. Even Mt. Blanc revealed itself for a few seconds to provide spectacular scenery.

The main conference on June 5 provided a platform for users and Beckman Coulter to share and discuss ideas, applications and new developments. Nikolaus Machuy, from the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin, Germany, reported about a new system that is used for siRNA screens to investigate molecular interactions between infectious bacteria and host cells. Juan Bautista Garcia, from Merck Research Laboratories in Madrid, Spain, presented his VB-based application BEAST, the Biomek Enhanced Automated Sample Titration. BEAST provides a user interface that allows end-users at MSD to define their Biomek protocols with just two mouse-clicks and two bar code scans. Trevor Wattam, from GSK in Stevenage, UK, reported about a small workstation that is used in Hybridoma screening. Monoclonal antibodies expressed by fusion cells are tested in several immunoassays. Results are compiled and provided to the Biomek as datasets so that the Biomek expands only those fusion cells that produce the right antibodies. With a different perspective, Stuart Bayliss, from the Regional Molecular Genetics Services in Manchester, UK, reported on how automation with Biomek instruments and Agencourt chemistry helped to improve efficiency for his services and boost productivity.

These presentations were rounded up by short presentations about new products that Beckman Coulter introduced recently to improve productivity in our customers’ labs. These included Motoman industrial robots as one transportation option in integrated systems, the new high-end PARADIGM™ Detection Platform, the BioRAPTR FRD™ and PicoRAPTR™ Microfluidic Workstations, and automated solutions for target RNA preparation for gene expression analysis. These presentations were complemented up by a small poster presentation area that provided even more ideas for Biomek-based automation applications.

"This was well worth the trip," was one participant’s comments, and "It was very well organized," added another. "You should do it again, but please offer even more workshops next time," was a suggestion voiced by several participants.

The positive feedback for the first two European Biomek User Summits encourages us to hold this event on a regular basis. So, stay tuned for your invitation to the 3rd Biomek User Summit if you are a Biomek user in Europe, the Middle East or India. Again in June, and again in a nice environment somewhere in Europe.

Biomek Users at the Second European Biomek User Summit