The extraction and purification of nucleic acids is no longer the complicated, labour-intensive process that it once was. Automated extraction systems provided an excellent alternative to the traditional manual technique, permitting a high throughput of samples.
Because nucleic acid extraction is just the first step of a larger downstream process, any automated system needs to ensure accuracy and reproducibility, without risking cross-contamination.
What should your lab look for in a nucleic acid extraction system? To maximise your return on investment, three important concepts should be kept in mind: minimising handling errors, the ease and efficiency of the extraction process, and the quality of the extracted nucleic acids.