Week 3 HW: Lab Automation

LAB Automation

Post Lab Question

  1. Find and describe a published paper that utilizes the Opentrons

Reference: Shaba, Chikondi, Decibel P. Elpa, and Pawel L. Urban. Automated and robotic sample delivery systems for mass spectrometry and ion-mobility spectrometry. Digital Discovery (2026).

Objectives: Integration of Mass Spectrometry (MS) and Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) with an automated robotic sample delivery system. To reduce human labor in sample handling. Single-cell analysis is a key application area of automated MS methods.

How Automation Tools (Opentrons) are used:

  • Automating routine, repetitive liquid handling (pipetting, reagent dispensing) to reduce human error and increase throughput
  • Enabling precise sample preparation steps for dilutions, aliquoting, plate setup for downstream analysis.
  • Using open-source protocols (Phyton API) to customize automation for specific biological or chemical assays.
  1. Automation for Final Project

I would like to use Automation Tools Opentrons liquid-handling robot to design and develop a metal ion biosensor for detecting lead (Pb²⁺) in human urine samples. The automation platform would standardize sample preparation steps, including dilution, buffer addition, reagent mixing, and plate setup, thereby reducing variability and improving reproducibility.

By integrating automated liquid handling with a biosensing system (e.g., colorimetric, fluorescence-based, or aptamer-based detection), the workflow could enable high-throughput screening of urine samples for lead exposure. Automation would allow precise reaction timing, consistent reagent volumes, and scalable assay optimization, which are critical for developing a reliable and sensitive biomonitoring platform.

This automation approach builds upon my previous design of a lead biomarker detection biosensor integrated into a urine collection container. In that design, the biosensor system was embedded within the urine pot to enable immediate detection of Pb²⁺ exposure at the point of sampling. Incorporating an automation platform such as Opentrons, I aim to standardize and optimize the reagent preparation, calibration curves, and validation steps during assay development.

Automated liquid handling would improve reproducibility, sensitivity testing, and batch consistency of the biosensor components before integration into the urine pot system. This integration would strengthen the development of a scalable, reliable, and early-detection biomonitoring tool for lead exposure.