GE Healthcare and Hamilton to automate forensic workflow
For applications such as DMPK and HID
GE Healthcare, a division of General Electric Company, and Hamilton Robotics have entered into a licensing agreement to develop an automated workflow for sample handling and processing from FTA substrates. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The agreement will focus on addressing challenges in high throughput dried sample processing for applications such as drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK), and human identification (HID).
Hamilton is a supplier of precision liquid handling equipment, laboratory automation and storage systems. Its headquarters are in Reno, Nevada, US and Bonaduz, Switzerland, both of which have r&d and production facilities.
‘By combining GE Healthcare’s expertise and technologies in the field of ambient temperature sample collection, transportation and storage with Hamilton’s proficiency in laboratory automation and liquid handling, we seek to remove process bottlenecks and establish a new standard in efficiency and reliability,’ said Richard Dool, general manager, Consumables, GE Healthcare.
Radi Hofstetter, vice president of Hamilton Bonaduz, added: ‘Forensic FTA-paper applications are rapidly becoming the method of choice for forensic sample collection, processing and storage. Incorporating this technology into an automated workflow will afford higher throughput and efficiencies within forensics as well as in new areas of application, including DMPK studies.’
With proven expertise in liquid handling robotics and imaging, Hamilton will ensure fully automated and secure handling of samples throughout the entire process.
