Cambridge, UK, 23 May 2024 – SPT Labtech, a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of automated instrumentation and consumables for life science applications, announces that its firefly® liquid handling platform has been selected by Colossal Biosciences to enhance its Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) capabilities. firefly will be installed in the headquarters in Dallas, Texas, to automate NGS library preparation, a critical component in Colossal Biosciences’ workflows.
Automating the repetitive liquid handling steps in manual library preparation will enable Colossal Biosciences to scale their operations more easily in line with company growth. firefly was selected as the best-placed liquid handling solution due to its intuitive and user-friendly software, compact footprint and exceptional performance with challenging liquids.
"We have the best scientists on the planet working on some of the world's hardest science," shared Colossal. "Working with the best products is essential to that mission."
Colossal Biosciences is developing solutions to combat species extinction and biodiversity loss using numerous tools including advanced gene editing screening and NGS. With over $200M raised so far to support their ambitious goals, the company is making significant strides in areas such as climate change reversal, alternative energy development, environmental protection, and sustainable food security. Colossal Biosciences was founded by serial entrepreneur, Ben Lamm, in partnership with world-renowned geneticist and pioneer of chip-based DNA libraries, genome editing, and stem cell engineering, George Church.
firefly from SPT Labtech represents a significant step in laboratory efficiency and workflow optimization. The platform is in all-in-one automated liquid handling solution developed to address the complexities and requirements of NGS workflows. It streamlines library and sample preparation through its combination of technologies for pipetting, dispensing, incubating and shaking, all within a compact, benchtop design.
“We are proud to be part of this monumental effort, providing tools that not only advance scientific inquiry but also contribute to the greater good of our planet,” says Paul Lomax, Head of Genomics at SPT Labtech. “The synergy between firefly’s automated liquid handling capabilities with Colossal Biosciences’ advanced gene editing technology makes this an exciting combination to address crucial environmental and biological challenges.”
