Liquid handling automation strengthens consistency in ag-tech R&D

Agricultural biotech company BW Fusion has strengthened the consistency and efficiency of its research and development workflows through the use of Integra Biosciences liquid handling systems.

The company has implemented an ASSIST PLUS pipetting robot alongside a VOYAGER adjustable tip spacing pipette to streamline laboratory processes, increasing throughput while reducing variability across routine workflows.

As BW Fusion continues to expand its work in crop and soil nutrition innovation, the need for more efficient and cost-effective laboratory operations has grown. The adoption of Integra’s automated and semi-automated pipetting tools has helped address these pressures by improving reproducibility and freeing up time from repetitive manual tasks.

Fermentation scientist Zach Biddle said the systems have significantly improved laboratory performance.

“Using the ASSIST PLUS and VOYAGER pipette has been a real game changer for us,” he said. “Being able to easily adjust tip spacing and transfer multiple samples between different labware formats has made a huge difference. It’s especially valuable for tasks like filling dilution tubes and running serial dilutions, where consistency is critical. Automating these repetitive steps has really transformed our workflow.”

He added that the systems are simple to adopt and integrate into daily lab work.

“We were up and running very quickly - it only took about half a day of training,” Biddle said. “The software is intuitive and open, so anyone in the lab can build protocols easily. The ability to simulate runs before executing them is particularly useful because it helps identify errors in advance, saving both time and reagents. It brings a lot of simplicity to what can otherwise be quite complex processes.”

The system is invaluable for tasks such as filling dilution tubes and performing serial dilutions, relieving staff from tedious and time-consuming manual pipetting, and guaranteeing consistency. Simply automating these mundane tasks has been massive.” 

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