Utilization of BioDot Omnia Automated Liquid Dispensing/Handling System to Enhance the Efficiency and Accuracy of High Throughput Biological Assays

PROJECT SUMMARY The proposed S10 project titled, “Utilization of BioDot Omnia Automated Liquid Dispensing/Handling System to Enhance the Efficiency and Accuracy of High Throughput Biological Assays” is to respond to PAR-22-081 Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program. The mission of the Analytical Instrumentation Core (AIC) at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University (BU) is to provide state-of-the-art instrumentation, services, training, and support to investigators to facilitate research and education. Its main goal is to contribute to the better understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of various human diseases. The AIC achieves this objective by granting access to high-end instruments that are essential to advancing the research endeavors of biomedical investigators. These instruments would typically be financially unfeasible for individual scientists to procure, operate, and maintain. Feedback from our investigators indicates that having instrumentation within the AIC capable of performing high throughput sample preparation, assay miniaturization, biomarker profiling, and drug screening is among the most pressing needs. This need is particularly crucial because several groups are engaged in clinical research projects that require the preparation and processing of large quantities of biological samples. Additionally, having the ability to miniaturize assays will enable BU investigators to minimize sample volumes while achieving consistent and reliable results. The Omnia will be indispensable in facilitating biomarker analysis, developing diagnostic assays, preparing libraries for next-generation sequencing (NGS), and in exploring novel therapeutics. As a result, the collective need expressed by multiple investigators has prompted us to examine the feasibility of acquiring an automated BioDot Omnia liquid dispensing/handling system. The AIC provides services to more than 200 investigators/labs and has over 10 NIH funded projects that would directly benefit from the BioDot Omnia System. With this system in place, researchers will be able to conduct their projects more efficiently and with significantly enhanced precision and accuracy. We propose housing the Omnia System at the AIC, which is situated on the BU Medical Campus, to ensure equal accessibility to investigators throughout the research community. Leveraging the AIC's extensive experience and outstanding track record in instrument maintenance and user training will ensure the system remains in excellent working condition, minimizing potential downtime. Substantial financial support from the institution, coupled with assistance from an advisory committee regarding biosafety, publications, and annual progress reports, reinforces their commitment to the successful integration and utilization of this equipment. Investing in this equipment will allow investigators to undertake studies of paramount importance across a broad spectrum of research areas, including pulmonary disease, infectious diseases, neurological diseases, vaccine development, diabetes, obesity, renal diseases, cardiovascular disease, and drug development.