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How to save time and elevate your ELISA workflows

ELISAs (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays) are popular plate-based methods to detect and quantify peptides, proteins, antibodies or hormones. However, they generally involve multiple pipetting steps that are time-consuming and tedious to perform, requiring consistent processing – from well to well and plate to plate – to ensure success.

If you’re looking for ways to improve ELISA workflows, look no further than our range of liquid handling solutions designed to make your lab life easier and your results more reproducible!

Ramp up your throughput

The VIAFLO 96/384 handheld electronic pipette can vastly improve ELISA workflows by enabling the transfer of samples and reagents into 96 or 384 wells simultaneously. All the steps needed to run the protocol can be saved as a custom program on the instrument, which then guides the user with easy to follow prompts. This streamlines the workflow and eliminates user variability. And for even higher throughput, it can quickly fill multiple plates using the Repeat Dispense mode, or can be used for partial plate processing. Crucially, it offers all of these benefits while still being as easy to use as a traditional handheld pipette!

So, if you're performing ELISAs and want to reduce errors, increase consistency and improve reproducibility, try the VIAFLO 96/384. The entire protocol is available as an application note and can be downloaded for free from our website!

Marrying automation to flexibility

If you’re ready for a more walk-away approach, the ASSIST PLUS pipetting robot can not only automate the ELISA process, but also allow you to adapt it easily to whatever your application requires. Just choose the VIALAB program and steps you need, place the appropriate labware on the deck, and let the robot do all the work!

This full automation capability offers higher productivity, improved reproducibility and unrivaled flexibility. Various samples and tube types, and multiple reagents can be accommodated on the deck, and the choice of pipetting options is huge – you can mount any of our 25 electronic pipettes to the ASSIST PLUS. For example, if your workflow requires samples to be reformatted from tubes to plates, the VOYAGER adjustable tip spacing pipette is the perfect choice, performing reformatting in the blink of an eye!

Pipetting settings and assay set-up options – including volumes, sample predilutions and plate layout – can easily be modified in VIALAB, making sure the system is always perfectly suited to your assay, even for partial plate processing. This combination of flexibility and automated, optimized processing helps to guarantee the consistency and reproducibility of your ELISAs. Get started today by downloading the application note (and the associated VIALAB protocol) for free.

Screenshot of the VIALAB automation software for the ASSIST PLUS pipetting robot

Tips designed for your application

ELISA buffers often contain surfactants, like Tween 20, which tend to interact with standard pipette tips, forming a thin liquid film on the inner wall. This leads to inaccurate and inconsistent pipetting, as well as loss of precious reagents. INTEGRA’s Low Retention GripTips are made from a unique polypropylene blend that offers heightened hydrophobic properties, reducing the residual tip volumes for maximum sample recovery.

Benefit from the ability of the VIAFLO 96/384 to process up to 384 samples in one go, or from the flexible automation capability of the ASSIST PLUS pipetting robot. It’s time for you to elevate your ELISAs to the next level!

Figure 3: The image highlights the advantages of using Low Retention GripTips (left) versus standard GripTips (right) when pipetting buffers containing surfactants.

Any questions? I'm happy to help!

Stephanie Stursberg

Product Manager

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