Design Of Experiments (DoE)

In drug discovery, DoE enables systematic testing and optimization of multiple variables, to understand the relationships between factors affecting an experiment and accelerate discovery workflows in a resource-efficient way.

Design of Experiments (DoE) in Drug Discovery

Design of Experiments (DoE) is a statistical approach that allows researchers to investigate the impact of multiple experimental factors at once. It allows scientists to make confident, data-driven decisions quickly and streamline workflow optimization.

An incredibly valuable method in drug discovery, DoE replaces traditional one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approaches to experimental design with a multifactorial approach, and holds promise to accelerate assay optimization, increase assay robustness, and facilitate better resource management.

How does automation enhance DoE?

The primary advantage of DoE in drug discovery is its efficiency. Traditional trial-and-error methods are time-consuming and resource-intensive. DoE, however, allows researchers to evaluate multiple variables simultaneously, reducing the number of experiments needed and increasing the speed of discovery. It also enhances the reliability of results by providing a structured framework for data analysis, minimizing human error, and improving reproducibility. This approach supports the identification of optimal conditions for drug development, leading to higher success rates and cost savings.

Boosting DoE with automated non-contact dispensing

SPT Labtech’s non-contact reagent dispenser, dragonfly® discovery, is designed to complement DoE methodologies, enabling scientists to leverage the full potential of such a powerful technique. With high speed and accuracy, dragonfly sets up complex assays at a throughput simply not possible by hand. By utilizing true positive displacement technology, dragonfly offers superior low-volume dispense performance for all types of liquid. This versatility, combined with gentle handling, means that dispensing solvents, buffers, detergents, and bead or cell suspensions can be done without any need for complex configuration.

Available with 3, 6, or 10 dispense heads, dragonfly can be tailored to meet specific research needs—whether prioritizing speed by filling a 384-well plate in under a minute or managing complexity by dispensing up to 10 different liquids simultaneously. The non-contact dispensing feature allows for the preparation of multiple assay plates using minimal syringes, significantly reducing consumable costs and environmental impact.

What do our partners say?

"The thing that makes dragonfly such a good fit for DoE is its precision. At Synthace, we’ve been running complex DoE workflows for a long time. Traditional liquid handlers typically require contact to meet the required level of precision, and so frequent tip changes leads to large amounts of waste and time inefficiency. dragonfly’s liquid agnosticity and non-contact dispensing eliminate these issues, meaning we can perform more complex experiments than we thought possible. We were so excited when we realized its capabilities."

Markus Gershater
Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder, Synthace

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dragonfly^® discovery

dragonfly discovery delivers fast and reliable non-contact dispensing for all liquid types thanks to its positive displacement technology. Highly accurate low volume dispensing and ultra-low dead volumes allow researchers to minimize reagent costs, save time and standardize protocols.

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Partners

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Collaboration is key in our mission to make a real difference to human health. Partnering with application leaders globally, we co-create to solve new challenges across the life sciences.

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On-demand Webinar ➤➤➤

01.

Optimizing multi-cellular models for high-throughput screening

Explore recent research which has combined Design of Experiments methodology with automated liquid handling to develop a cardiotoxicity assay platform. We discuss how this approach could become routine in the future, not only offering more accurate predictability of new drug candidates, but also enabling researchers to leverage resources more efficiently through streamlined workflows and data-driven decision-making.

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On-demand webinar ➤➤➤

02.

DOE for discovery

As a methodology, DOE (design of experiments) used to be out of reach for many but is now far more accessible and scalable. With the right combination of software and hardware, a lot of the hard work is already done for you.

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Application note ➤➤➤

03.

A high-dimensional space-filling DOE for assay development

To address the challenge of pharmaceutical assay development cycles, we combined the speed and accuracy of dragonfly discovery with the flexible planning and data aggregation capabilities of Synthace. This allowed for the execution of a 6-factor space-filling DOE campaign in a single rapid experiment.