SMART SAFE Opens Up New Ways for Fully Automatic Biobanking

NORDERSTEDT, Germany, December 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The Joint Conference of ESBB (European, Middle Eastern, & African Society for Biopreservation & Biobanking) & the Spanish National Biobank Network (Red Nacional de Biobancos), took place in Granada, Spain from 7 - 9 November 2012. Sysmex Bioscience took the opportunity to showcase its latest innovation, Perma Cryo SMART SAFE - a fully automated storage solution employing ICEBREAKER technology at -80^°C (mechanical freezer) or -180^°C (liquid nitrogen vapour). 

The use of a highly advanced robotics system, which enables fully automatic manipulations, allows a tremendous increase in speed (less than 10 seconds per sample storage / retrieval) compared to traditional handling. This eliminates human errors and guarantees maximum user safety, as there is no contact with liquid N₂. Furthermore, by employing sample containers like ICEBREAKER, all relevant sample data is recorded on a memory chip, which is an integral part of the sample vial. Using such sample vials eliminates any mix-up or loss and will let the user set new standards in quality assurance and sample management.

A two-axis robotic system picks up consecutive samples individually and moves them to a free storage position within the tank. This guarantees complication-free operation and minimum maintenance. While the samples are stored on the discs, the SMART TRAY (intelligent feeding system handles up to five samples per batch) reads out the sample information and stores a full copy of the sample data along with its storage location. This way, SMART SAFE provides a backup of your sample information and provides live-view of the inventory (without need for sample retrieval), thus preventing sample exposure to transient warming.

A multi-stage policy system allows several parties to share a single SMART SAFE: it can be configured for multiple users or usergroups, which can have their own virtual inventory. Users that don't have access to specific samples, or groups of samples, do not see them in their inventory or have access to the samples or their data. Additionally, the device includes temperature sensors on each storage level for live monitoring and generates time-related temperature logs. With a footprint of an average workbench space, SMART SAFE is designed for biorepositiories / biobanks, where advanced evidence-based biobanking practice is the customer's objective.

About Sysmex Corporation

Sysmex Corporation is a world leader in clinical laboratory systemization and solutions, including laboratory diagnostics, laboratory automation and clinical information systems. Sysmex focuses on technological leadership in diagnostic science and information tools that make a difference in the health of people worldwide. The company is also developing solutions in the life science field with a focus on diagnostic cancer management. Headquartered in Kobe, Japan, Sysmex has subsidiaries in North America, Latin America, Europe, China and Asia Pacific and employs more than 5,000 employees worldwide.

Sysmex Bioscience is a business unit within the Sysmex Group that focuses exclusively on unique and intelligent products in the cryopreservation business. The ICEBREAKER technology, developed by Perma Cryo and licenced by Fraunhofer IBMT is marketed exclusively by Sysmex Bioscience.

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For further information please contact:  

Sysmex Europe GmbH
Ines Lühmann, Press Contact
luehmann.ines@sysmex-europe.com
Bornbarch 1, 22848 Norderstedt, Germany
Phone +49(40)527-26-0 | Fax +49(40)527-26-10-0
http://www.sysmex-europe.com