Microplate Readers
Perkin Elmer ENVISION 2101 Multilabel Reader
This high throughput screening microplate reader is capable of measuring absorbance as well as multiple high sensitivity technologies including luminescence, fluorescence intensity and polarisation, high-sensitivity time-resolved fluorometry, homogenous time-resolved fluorometry, and AlphaScreen. It is able to read 96- and 384-well plates, is equipped with a plate stacker for runs of multiple plates, and has a time read and shaker option.
Perkin Elmer Victor2 V 
This multilabel reader has a broad range of capabilities, which can be utilized in both 96 and 384-well formats. It is able to measure absorbance, luminescence, fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence and fluorescence-polarization. Discovery Biology has two of these flexible label readers. One is used as a stand-alone machine, while the other is incorporated with Biomek FX liquid handling platform via the Sagian robotic system.
Perkin Elmer Victor Light
The Victor Light is a benchtop 96- and 384-well format microtitre plate reader specific for flash or glow luminometry readings with 50 plate stacking capability for HTS. Additional features include plate shaking, temperature control, and a four-pump reagent dispenser with a 5uL – 350uL dispensing range.
Perkin Elmer Microbeta Trilux
The Trilux plate reader is able to be applied for both reading scintillation based assays, with SPA and filtration technologies and also as a luminescence counter. The plate holder has the capacity to be able to accept both filter mats and 96- and 384 well assay plates. Here we have the Trilux integrated on to a Beckman Coulter Sagian arm and plate carousel system for high throughput screening application.
As other technologies have commonly replaced scintillation assays, the main use for this reader in the Discovery Biology platform is for luminescence based assays. Recently this has included the development of a luminescence-based viability estimation assay for Trypanosoma brucei brucei and also a collaborative screening campaign involving a luminescent end point assay. A benefit of this reader is that is allows the potential reduction of cross talk commonly found in luminescence assays by normalisation and standardisation procedures. Plate seals, which effectively reduce cross talk are also compatible with this reader.
Thermo Scientific Multiskan Ascent
The Multiskan Ascent offers rapid photometric measurement in both 96- and 384-well plate formats for high throughput screening. It has an optical performance wavelength range of 340nm to 850nm and has shown excellent accuracy and precision across whole plates. This plate reader is integrated into the SAGIAN automated robotic system in the Discovery Biology laboratory. The system is linked to a plate carousel and barcode reader and is capable of processing 50 plates an hour. The Multiskan provides excellent performance for time critical absorbance assays and has been routinely utilised for commercial bacterial HTS campaigns.
TECAN Ultra
The Tecan Ultra is a microplate reader that can process both 96 and 384-well plate formats, capable of detecting steady state fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, fluorescence polarization, and luminescence. It is also equipped with a temperature control function.
Applied Biosystems 8200 Cellular Detection System (FMAT)
The FMAT is a macroconfocal imaging system that uses a scanning laser to detect, image, and quantify fluorescence in cell- and bead-based assays in 96-, 384- and 1536-well plate formats. The FMAT scans a 1mm2 area of a microplate well at a depth of 100 μm. Fluorescence outside this volume is undetected, so that the signal-to-noise ratio is dramatically increased. Assays that can be performed on this system include, but are not limited to, receptor expression or ligand binding, apoptosis detection, cytokine or antibody quantification and simplified traditional ELISAs. The addition of the Caliper Twister robotic plate handler allows for automated measurement of up to 60 microplates.
Biotek PowerWave HT
The PowerWave HT is a microplate spectrophotometer able to read in 96- and 384-well plate format. The wavelength range available is from 200nm to 999nm in a variety of read methods, including endpoint, kinetic, multi-wavelength, and spectral scanning. It is currently integrated into the SAGIAN robotic system and is capable of being utilized for high-throughput screening.
