Alpha Biotech - Cell Harvesters, Superfusion and Electrical Stimulation, Microfraction, Crystallography and Robotic Liquid Handling

Alpha Biotech is the European distributor for many well-known international brands serving laboratory and scientific research communities including the Brandel cell harvester and plate sealer, superfusion equipment, microdispensers, microfractionation and fraction-collection equipment. We also distribute the full range of crystallography products from Art Robbins Instruments, who are based near San Francisco, USA, and a wide range of liquid handling workstations from Aurora Biomed of Vancouver, Canada.

BRANDEL CELL HARVESTERS FOR RECEPTOR BINDING ASSAYS

Brandel multi-channel cell harvesters perform cell harvesting for receptor binding assays, receptor screening and other multiple or simultaneous cell filtering tasks from micro-titer plates, well blocks or test tubes.

Brandel cell harvesters offer a quick and reproducible way of assay filtering. Cell harvesters range from 12, 24, 30 and 48 wells to a 96-well robotic cell harvester for High Throughput Screening (HTS). Other models include a counter-compatible cell harvester, direct radioactive reader cell harvester, robot compatible cell harvester as well as well plate carousels for Biomek 2000 and microdispensers.

BRANDEL PLATE SEALERS

The Brandel plate sealer offers fast and efficient cold, pressure sealing of micro-titer and well plates. The semi-automatic plate sealer is for manual feeding; or a fully automatic plate sealer is available for robotic systems.

BRANDEL SUPERFUSION AND ELECTRICAL STIMULATION SYSTEMS

Understanding the mechanism, pharmacology and pathophysiology of neurotransmitter release is essential, as abnormalities in neurotransmitter release play a critical role in many disease states.

The Brandel Suprafusion 2500 allows the simultaneous perfusion of 20 tissue samples, each with up to nine different reagents. Effluents are collected for measurement of either endogenous neurotransmitters or pre-loaded radiotopic-labelled transmitters.

Where electrical stimulation is required the Brandel stimulator provides a variable 0mA to 20mA output and individual chamber control.

Tissue perfusion is provided by a Brandel-designed multi-channel peristaltic pump. The smaller Suprafusion1000 semi-automated, multi-sample perfusion system can perfuse up to 12 tissues with one to six reagents, in any sequence, and collect up to 20 effluents per sample.

BRANDEL MICROFRACTIONATION AND FRACTION COLLECTORS

The Brandel FR-115 microfractionator permits collection of sequential aliquots of solution as small as 0.25µl from cylindrical centrifuge tubes, with no mixing of the tube's contents. Individual fractions may be collected with or without chase or scintillation fluid, or on glass-fibre filters.

The continuous fraction collector from Brandel is a new method of fraction collection with extremely small sample volumes. Fast, more precise, and more versatile than conventional fraction-collecting methods, it also reduces the cost of consumables and their disposal.

The Brandel density gradient fractionator for 5ml to 40ml liquid displacement (formerly Isco fractionator) produces a continuous absorbance profile as the gradient is collected in precisely measured fractions. Zones that are undetectable by other methods are resolved, and their exact locations plotted.

ART ROBBINS INSTRUMENTS – CRYSTALLOGRAPHY PRODUCTS

Art Robbins Instruments manufacture the highly successful Phoenix crystallography robot, which can dispense a 96 well crystallography plate with screen solutions into the reservoir and protein well and add protein to all 96 protein wells in under two minutes.

In addition to the robot they also manufacture the Cryscam imaging system which incorporates the Cryscam scoring software.

As well as the Intelliplate, in both two and three well formats which can be used with the Phoenix and Cryscam imager, the plate is also for general screening and optimisation within the field of crystallography.

The Intelliplate cystallography plate, 96 and 48, are available in both two-well and three-well formats which can be used with the Phoenix robot and Cryscam imager. The plate is for general screening and optimisation within the field of crystallography, and are all made from an optically clear polymer.

Art Robbins Instruments offers reconditioned Hydra instruments to fill your liquid handling needs at cost-effective prices. We will configure a Hydra unit to fit your needs:

• 384 or 96 syringes
• With or without a wash module
• With or without an automated plate positioner
• Syringe sizes of 100µL, 290µL, 580µL, or 1mL
• Flexible or Teflon-coated stainless-steel syringes

We also carry a full line of syringes for your Hydra and can perform any required maintenance and repairs for you.

AURORA BIOMED – AUTOMATED LIQUID HANDLING WORKSTATIONS

The VERSA automated liquid handling workstations employ two types of robotic-arm function: liquid handling and plate transport. With these two types of arms and various liquid handling modules, the VERSA series can be customised to match user needs.

These modules allow for a wide range of volumes extending into nanolitre volumes. The reliable and reproducible nanopipettor is highly useful for low volume aspiration and dispension operations. The ReagentDrop module presents high-speed dispense functions from on-line reagent bottles.

Furthermore, Aurora offers specialized combination heads bulk dispensing from a single liquid handling module. The large volume range allows for the notion of parallel dilution whereby a dilution scheme is created directly using nanolitre capabilities. Parallel dilution is more accurate than the traditional serial dilution method.

The liquid-handling modules can be combined in many configurations to perform more sophisticated liquid handling procedures. For example, the DualHead, combining a Nanopipettor and ReagentDrop module for efficient nanaolitre dispensing and reagent addition, simplifies dilution protocols, whilst the TripleHead, combining a SyringePipettor with two ReagentDrop modules, is a powerful tool for many liquid-handling protocols involving multiple reagent additions as well as sample handling.