Multi-well plate lid for single-step pooling of 96 samples for high-throughput barcode-based sequencing

High-throughput transcriptomics is of increasing fundamental biological and clinical interest. The generation of molecular data from large collections of samples, such as biobanks and drug libraries, is boosting the development of new biomarkers and treatments. Focusing on gene expression, the transcriptomic market exploits the benefits of next-generation sequencing (NGS), leveraging RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) as standard for measuring genome-wide gene expression in biological samples. The cumbersome sample preparation, including RNA extraction, conversion to cDNA and amplification, prevents high-throughput translation of RNA-seq technologies. Bulk RNA barcoding and sequencing (BRB-seq) addresses this limitation by enabling sample preparation in multi-well plate format. Sample multiplexing combined with early pooling into a single tube reduces reagents consumption and manual steps. Enabling simultaneous pooling of all samples from the multi-well plate into one tube, our technology relies on smart labware: a pooling lid comprising fluidic features and small pins to transport the liquid, adapted to standard 96-well plates. Operated with standard fluidic tubes and pump, the system enables over 90% recovery of liquid in a single step in less than a minute. Large scale manufacturing of the lid is demonstrated with the transition from a milled polycarbonate/steel prototype into an injection molded polystyrene lid. The pooling lid demonstrated its value in supporting high-throughput barcode-based sequencing by pooling 96 different DNA barcodes directly from a standard 96-well plate, followed by processing within the single sample pool. This new pooling technology shows great potential to address medium throughput needs in the BRB-seq workflow, thereby addressing the challenge of large-scale and cost-efficient sample preparation for RNA-seq.

Tools for manipulation and positioning of microtissues

Complex three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models are emerging as a key technology to support research areas in personalised medicine, such as drug development and regenerative medicine. Tools for manipulation and positioning of microtissues play a crucial role in the microtissue life cycle from production to end-point analysis. The ability to precisely locate microtissues can improve the efficiency and reliability of processes and investigations by reducing experimental time and by providing more controlled parameters. To achieve this goal, standardisation of the techniques is of primary importance. Compared to microtissue production, the field of microtissue manipulation and positioning is still in its infancy but is gaining increasing attention in the last few years. Techniques to position microtissues have been classified into four main categories: hydrodynamic techniques, bioprinting, substrate modification, and non-contact active forces. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the different tools for the manipulation and positioning of microtissues that have been reported to date. The working mechanism of each technique is described, and its merits and limitations are discussed. We conclude by evaluating the potential of the different approaches to support progress in personalised medicine.