(1047-B) A Minimal Open-Access Platform for Laboratory Automation Training

Abstract: Laboratory automation (LA) in experimental biology contributes to the advancement of basic research, biotechnology, and medicine by enabling experiments beyond human capabilities. The demand for LA professionals is growing, but effective training platforms are still scarce. Closed and often proprietary programming environments and the high cost of LA equipment hinder the widespread implementation of efficient training in educational institutions. Three aspects that need to be considered in LA education and training are hardware operation, software scripting and biological experiments. In this study, we propose a low-cost and open-access experimental platform designed to facilitate LA training. It combines an open source OT-2 liquid dispenser (Opentrons) and a small and low-cost Absorbance 96 plate reader (Byonoy) with a newly developed open source microplate transport device. We have also developed software tools to control our platform using Python, a popular programming language. Our platform combines manipulation (liquid handling), observation (absorbance measurement), evaluation and design of experimental conditions, enabling an autonomous loop that searches for optimal experimental conditions. The use of open source technology removes the cost barrier associated with developing specialised equipment. This platform would make LA training more accessible in educational institutions, enabling coherent learning of hardware, software and biology.