UK Biobank, a major UK medical research initiative, is using 11 Freedom EVO® liquid handling workstations from Tecan to process thousands of samples taken each day from volunteers for a new study. Detailed information about lifestyle and medical history, together with physical parameters (weight, height etc.) and blood and urine samples, are being collected to give an insight into a wide range of diseases. The huge sample size and large amount of health information make it the most detailed study of its kind ever undertaken.

Paul Downey, Director of Operations of UK Biobank, explained: “An efficient liquid handling system was absolutely essential to handle and store so many blood and urine samples. Firstly, we needed a system with the reliability and throughput required to process as many as 20,000 tubes in a day. Secondly, a comprehensive data audit trail was essential, ensuring full traceability of all samples using barcodes and supported by a LIMS. After looking at several liquid handling systems, we are confident that the Tecan Freedom EVO workstations best address these issues.” 

About Tecan

Tecan (www.tecan.com) is a leading global supplier of solutions for the biopharma, forensic and diagnostic industries. The company is a leader in the development, production and distribution of advanced automation and detection solutions for the world’s leading life science laboratories. Through its REMP subsidiary (www.remp.com), Tecan is the premier supplier of large-scale automated laboratory storage and logistics systems. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has over 1100 employees, owns production, research and development sites in both North America and Europe and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries. In 2006, Tecan achieved sales of CHF 405.9 million (USD 324.7 million; EUR 258.6 million). Shares of the Tecan Group are traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange (TK: TECN/Reuters: TECZn.S/Valor: 1210019).

For further information please contact:

Tecan Group Ltd.
Seestrasse 103
CH-8708 Männedorf

T +41 44 922 81 11
F +41 44 922 81 12
www.tecan.com