Miniaturization is becoming increasingly popular in research and development due to the many benefits that it offers over traditional workflows. Miniaturized reactions are scaled-down assays that have a significantly lower volume while still producing accurate and reliable results. In this article, we will discuss the benefits provided by miniaturized reactions, and how DISPENDIX can provide solutions to your miniaturization needs.
There are many miniaturized reaction benefits, however, the main draw for many scientists is the cost-saving benefits. Miniaturized reactions use volumes as low as 1/10th of the manufacturer-recommended volumes, therefore decreasing the volume of reagent needed to obtain the same amount of data1,2. Reagents can be very expensive; increasing the number of experiments that can be carried out using the same volume of reagents accordingly reduces the associated costs. For example, one research group estimated that they would have cost savings of over 86% when miniaturizing their RNAseq experiments3.
Miniaturized reactions are generally combined with automated liquid handling techniques to ensure that decreasing the reagent volume doesn’t increase pipetting errors. These liquid handling solutions can save additional money due to their low dead volumes, which aid in the further conservation of reagents4.
In addition to cost-savings, time-savings are another miniaturized reaction benefit. Many miniaturized reactions use microfluidics and similar techniques, which allow multiple reactions to happen in parallel and result in a significantly lower overall experimental time5. A lab carrying out library prep for NGS found that using an automated, miniaturized, high-throughput protocol saved them over 150 hours of work6.
Miniaturized reaction benefits also include increased sustainability. Scientific research is notorious for generating waste, particularly single-use plastics (Fig. 1). It has been estimated that an average biology lab produces 4000 kg of plastic waste per year7. Miniaturized protocols require fewer disposable plastics; for example, more samples can be run on the same plate, resulting in a reduced number of plates required. In addition, automated liquid handling systems are often used to accurately pipette the small volumes required for miniaturized reactions. These systems use fewer (if any) pipette tips, further reducing plastic waste8.
Additional sustainability benefits arise from minimizing reagent waste. The use of decreased volumes of reagent and reduced dead volumes ensures that valuable research materials are used to their maximum. Moreover, the reduced reagent input generates less hazardous chemical waste9. Miniaturized reactions also generally require smaller instruments which often have lower power requirements and, as a result, less energy consumption, providing further miniaturized reaction sustainability benefits.
Figure 1. Scientific labs use large amounts of single-use plastic, contributing to environmental issues. (Source)
Miniaturized reactions provide benefits in scalability. The cost reductions produced through the use of decreased reagent volumes allow the scaling up of the number of experiments performed with the same budget10. Miniaturized experiments also require a lower sample volume, enabling the increased use of a single sample to obtain more data and increasing the number of assays that can be carried out. In addition, if it has only been possible to obtain a small volume of a precious patient sample, miniaturization enables the sample to be analyzed11.
The combination of small-scale reactions and automated liquid handling enables high-throughput experiments to be carried out. Multiple experiments can be run simultaneously, and thus, lab efficiency is optimized. The consistency and accuracy of automated systems improve reproducibility – a growing problem in science, with 70% of researchers having tried and failed to replicate another scientist’s results12 – which enables scaling up to reliable high-throughput experiments.
The benefits of miniaturized reactions also include flexibility. These reactions can be adapted for a range of research applications, including drug discovery13 and diagnostics14.
At DISPENDIX, we appreciate the considerable benefits of miniaturized reactions and have developed solutions enabling the miniaturization of workflows. Our team can help you scale down to 1/10th of the manufacturer’s recommended volumes without affecting the quality and accuracy of the data produced.
The G.PREP NGS Automation Bundle enables the miniaturization of complex NGS workflows. This results in significant savings, both monetary – using lower reagent volumes and a decreased amount of consumables – and environmental – saving the use of thousands of tips. Use DISPENDIX’s G.PREP ROI calculator to see exactly how much your lab could save by investing in the G.PREP for your NGS library preparation. In our recent application note, we discuss how the I.DOT was combined with CYTENA’s F.SIGHT Single-Cell Isolator to enable the miniaturization of cDNA library prep, whereby high-quality libraries were generated at 1/10th of the volume of a standard reaction15.
The I.DOT Liquid Handler has unrivaled precision and speed, transferring volumes as low as 4 nL with 0.1 nL resolution and thus enabling miniaturized reagent volumes to be dispensed with high accuracy. The I.DOT Liquid Handler further aids in reducing reagent wastage due to its very low dead volume of only 1 μL (Fig. 2).
Figure 2. The I.DOT Liquid Handler has a dead volume of only 1 μL and uses non-contact liquid handling technology to minimize the number of tips used.
The contact-free nature of the I.DOT minimizes the number of tips used to a fraction of manual or traditional automation methods, saving money and reducing plastic waste. DISPENDIX’s miniaturization solutions also enable the scaling up of assays and the running of high-throughput experiments by their reproducibility, cost-effectiveness, and time-efficiency.
Miniaturized reactions offer numerous benefits to scientific research and development, from cost and time savings to increased sustainability. Miniaturization reduces reagent volumes and minimizes waste, enabling increased lab efficiency, decreased expenses, and a reduction in environmental impact. The integration of automated liquid handling systems, such as those produced by DISPENDIX, provides further miniaturized reaction benefits. Accuracy and reproducibility are enhanced, enabling the scaling up of experiments and high-throughput applications.
Discover how DISPENDIX can enhance precision, efficiency, and reproducibility in your lab through our miniaturization technology. Download the I.DOT brochure or the G.PREP brochure and take the next step in transforming your workflows!