Dose response experiments allow researchers to examine the effect of increasing treatment dosages on a biological system1. These experiments are used to produce graphs called dose response curves, which let scientists examine multiple parameters of a target compound, such as potency, toxicity, and mechanism of action (Fig. 1). IC50 and EC50 values are essential for screening and optimizing drug candidates2,3. Both are determined using accurate dose response curves.
Deriving reliable data from dose response curves comes with several pitfalls and challenges. A central roadblock is accurate liquid dispensing, which is paramount for ensuring the correct dosage is added to the right well. In today’s market, researchers must match faster turnaround times with accurate liquid dispensing to remain competitive and identify promising compounds quickly. This article will explore the challenges of generating dose response curves with manual methods and highlight how automation in liquid handling solves these problems and gives researchers a competitive edge.
Figure 1. Dose response curves give researchers crucial information about different treatments but must be performed accurately for meaningful conclusions to be derived. (Source)
Manual liquid handling has been the mainstay of biomedical research because, until recently, there simply hasn’t been a viable alternative. This lack of options means researchers have constantly battled several challenges that have consistently hampered sensitive workflows like dose response experiments.
While modern pipettes have improved accuracy, even experienced researchers will find significant variation between replicates they’ve pipetted by hand. The reason is simple: manual pipetting is inherently error-prone4.
Reproducibility within and between laboratories is crucial as biomedical research becomes an increasingly collaborative and global enterprise. Operators often have different manual liquid handling methods5, increasing workflow variation and hindering reproducibility and drug discovery efforts.
When budding scientists dream of curing diseases, they rarely envision hours of tedious manual liquid dispensing. This is an unfortunate reality, however. Time spent pipetting multiwell plates can quickly consume the entire workday for highly-trained scientists. The opportunity cost here is massive, as researchers are diverted from tasks like experimental design and data interpretation6.
Drug discovery is a highly competitive market, and manual liquid dispensing limits the amount of data researchers can produce. There simply isn’t enough time in the day for manual methods to meet the throughput requirements of modern biomedical research.
While manual handling methods have been the default that has brought us to where we are today, savvy researchers should abandon these outdated methods and adopt automated liquid handling for generating dose response curves.
Liquid handling automation thrives in areas where manual methods flounder, bringing unique benefits for researchers performing all-important dose response curves. The I.DOT Liquid Handler from DISPENDIX delivers these benefits in a one-stop solution (Fig. 2).
Figure 2. The I.DOT Liquid Handler increases the accuracy, throughput, and reproducibility of dose response curves while helping researchers stick to their budgets.
Automating liquid handling for dose response curves significantly enhances the accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility of dose response experiments. By minimizing human error and increasing throughput, automated systems like the I.DOT Liquid Handler empowers researchers to generate more reliable data while saving time and reducing costs. Automation accelerates drug development and ensures that valuable resources are utilized effectively, giving researchers the green light to solve pressing biomedical problems.
Optimize your dose response studies now! Unlock precise and reproducible results with DISPENDIX. Discover how our advanced liquid handling technology can elevate your dose response experiments. Download the I.DOT brochure today to learn more!