Automation of Downstream Plant Transformation

Streamlined plant tissue transfer with 24/7 gantry system to reduce labor in plant biotech.

Arduino MachineLearning Python
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Contributors: Preston Whaley, Austin Townsend

■ INTRODUCTION

The routine culture of plant tissue following Agrobacterium-tumefaciens infection is a crucial yet labor intensive phase in genetic transformation experiments. While the process is pivotal for developing crops with enhanced properties, experiments can span 6-12 months and require 40 hours per week to dedicate to weekly followed by bi-weekly plant transfers between mediated petri dishes. This project focuses on streamlining this process by developing and implementing an automated multi-axis gantry system with suction fingers to handle tissue transfers within a sterile, laminar-flow environment. This innovation not only enhances productivity by allowing continuous operation without human intervention but also improves the consistency and quality of experimental outcomes. By potentially handling up to 250 tissues per experiment, the automation of this process frees skilled technicians from monotonous tasks, allowing them to engage in more intellectually stimulating and innovative activities within the field.