Abstract
I am pleased to join the JALA Editorial Board in presenting the much anticipated Special Issue on Robotics in Laboratory Automation. The primary aim of this special issue is to feature cutting-edge breakthroughs in a field that represents an original cornerstone of JALA’s scope, which pertains to the use of robotics and automation technology to enhance the efficiency of research in the areas of drug development, diagnostics, microfluidics, and many other domains.
Given the overwhelming response to our original Call for Abstracts, this special issue is being published in two parts, with part one being this October issue and part two being the December issue.
Although JALA has published numerous special issues in recent years addressing a diverse range of fields, we feel it is important to highlight the continually evolving field of robotics in laboratory automation. This important topic played a critical role when JALA was established nearly 18 years ago. Today, we continue to explore the spectrum of innovations that push the field forward, enabling scientific professionals to conduct research and develop new technologies to increase productivity, elevate data quality, reduce lab process cycle times, and enable experimentation that otherwise would be impossible.
This two-part special issue features articles pertaining to the use of high-throughput screening robots in molecular biology and epigenetics studies, microfluidics in immunoassays, the interfacing of multiwell plates with microfluidic devices, the application of novel automation technologies in a forensic genetic laboratory, recent developments in the use of automation in clinical biochemistry facilities in Australia, and the implementation of an automated, high-capacity and acoustic-based platform for assay-ready plate delivery. The multidisciplinary research featured in these studies is the result of innovation at the academic, corporate, and governmental levels, which is a hallmark of the SLAS and JALA missions.
This exciting line-up of articles represents the high-impact breakthroughs that JALA strives to feature from issue to issue. We hope you enjoy part one of this two-part JALA Robotics in Automation Special Issue.
Footnotes