Upstate New York Laboratory Robotics Interest Group (LRIG) Host Symposium on Future of Genotyping

Citation

(2008), "Upstate New York Laboratory Robotics Interest Group (LRIG) Host Symposium on Future of Genotyping", Industrial Robot, Vol. 35 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2008.04935bab.005

Upstate New York Laboratory Robotics Interest Group (LRIG) Host Symposium on Future of Genotyping

Upstate New York Laboratory Robotics Interest Group (LRIG) Host Symposium on Future of Genotyping

Bringing together, experts in engineering, robotics, biotechnology and the life sciences

The Upstate New York LRIG hosted a free symposium entitled “The Future of Genotyping: How the X PRIZE will Revolutionize Sequencing” featuring Mr Marc Hodosh, Senior Director of the Archon X PRIZE for genomics. Also, speaking at this event were Dr Peter Schweitzer, Director of the Cornell DNA sequencing and genotyping laboratory at Cornell University, and Dr Sadeg M. Faris, CEO and Chairman of Reveo, Inc., a competitor in the Archon X PRIZE for genomics.

In much the same way that the original X PRIZE inspired the development of technologies leading to a new era of low-cost space travel, the Archon X PRIZE for genomics aims to inspire the development of rapid and low-cost diagnostic sequencing of the human genome that will enable an entirely new era of personalized medicine. The Archon X PRIZE is a competition for a $10 million prize to the first team to sequence 100 human genomes in ten days for under $10,000 per genome with 0.001 percent accuracy (http://genomics.xprize.org/).

The Reveo concept is called the Omni Molecular Recognizer Application (OmniMoRA). It uses physical rather than indirect chemical methods to read the DNA sequence directly. Since, the OmniMoRA uses principles from semiconductor electronics and photonics it has the potential to achieve the necessary speed, cost and accuracy improvements over existing sequencing instruments that use indirect chemical methods.

The LRIG is a volunteer-run, non- profit organization with autonomous but closely affiliated chapters located worldwide. Last year, a small group of researchers and engineers in the Albany area came together and formed the upstate New York LRIG. Its primary activity is to organize free symposia for its membership on a broad array of topics in laboratory automation that includes robotics.

The upstate New York LRIG has held two symposia since its formation approximately one year ago. Approximately, 150 scientists, researchers and engineers attended the inaugural meeting and about 75 came to the smaller spring meeting in June 2007. Its membership is drawn from the New York State Wadsworth Labs, the State Police Forensic Investigation Center, other non-profit research organizations, Albany Molecular Research, Inc., small pharmaceutical companies, academic research institutions, small biotech firms, large companies and others in the region. Since, the meetings take place in a single weekday evening, most of the attendees live or work in the area. The upstate New York LRIG provides dinner and refreshments free of charge to the membership, and does not charge for attendance.