Increasingly, the success of a drug depends on the suitability of the patient, often against genetic and situational factors. In order to establish genetic factors in the efficacy or possible side effects of a drug candidate, managers are required to aggregate large sample banks of DNA and prepare specimens for genotyping assays. Manually administered storage and preparation breaks down when libraries grow towards hundreds of thousands and larger.   Solar provides integrated, fully automated sample storage and processing to allow production on demand of genotyping assay plate sets from large stored DNA libraries, freeing up research staff for research, and reducing turnaround time from weeks and months to one or two days.   In addition, the consistency of automated handling provides greatly improved levels of process integrity, facilitating validation to GLP where necessary.   TAP developed a novel method of mixing specifically for this application, which has been proven to homogenise DNA without damage through shearing. Multiple access to stored aliquots is possible with zero detectable carryover or contamination even after large numbers of retrieval, access, and storage cycles.   Solar is in use for this application by AstraZeneca and GSK at three sites worldwide   For more information visit:, SMS Systems - Solar System Overview   Concerto is a flexible inventory management software suite for managing the tracking, ordering and processing of valuable inventories such as biological samples.   It is the ideal solution for DNA repository groups facing one or more of the following challenges:   Managing inventory that is dispersed across multiple research sites Responding rapidly and cost-effectively to shifting demands from the research community Integrating diverse automation platforms from multiple vendors Integrating the repository with the organisation’s LIMS Concerto builds on TAP’s existing software solutions that have been proven at major pharmaceutical sites worldwide for over a decade   For more information visit: SMS Systems - Concerto System Overview   PCR is a central tool for high throughput genomics analysis. As the throughput requirements in areas such as genotyping, expression studies, association studies and sequencing increase, the set-up and performance of large numbers of PCRs at low volumes becomes a bottleneck in these processes.   BasePlate is a robust and reliable tool to set up PCRs, programmed using scripts that allow high flexibility in the methods used for sample aspiration and dispensing.   The Centre National de Genotypage in Evry, France is using two BasePlates for high throughput PCR set-up in its genotyping laboratory   For more information visit: SMS Systems - BasePlate System Overview   For more information on DNA management & genotyping preparation   Get more details on TAP's SMS Systems   Discuss your requirements with Ian Ransome, Sales Director << Back to key applications in Sample Management & Screening Back to top   print page