SATVI acquires robotic Tecan platform to conduct RNA extractions
SATVI's research capabilities have been strengthened with the recent acquisition of a Tecan Freedom EVO 150 robotic platform.
This robotic system, will be used mainly in the Correlates of Risk Targeted Intervention (CORTIS) study, a new TB clinical study set to kickstart in July 2016.
The Tecan machine will be used to conduct RNA extractions from PAXgene whole blood tubes and the downstream cDNA synthesis steps of ±11,000 samples generated by this study. The RNA will be analysed by qRT-PCR using the correlate of risk (COR) test to measure risk of TB disease.
This multi-functional robotic platform is makes it possible to process large volumes of samples, can be adapted to the laboratory work required by other studies.
CORTIS: The PI is Professor Mark Hatherill, and the research work is funded mainly by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the SAMRC-SHIP programme. They will test whether short course preventative therapy reduces the rate of incident TB disease, compared to standard of care (active surveillance) in COR+ persons.