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Alpha Cycler 4’s (PCRmax) Innovative Software Offers a User Friendly Experience and Reproducible Results Every Run

Bibby Scientific
11 Aug 2015
Lois Manton-O'Byrne, PhD
Executive Editor

Product news

The performance of high throughput PCR, genotyping, cloning or Sanger Sequencing is labour intensive. However, the Alpha Cycler 4, recently launched by PCRmax (a Bibby Scientific company), is able to ease this pressure whilst still delivering precise DNA amplification.

Through innovative software, high quality data is readily delivered, and due to the android interface and simple clean design, little to no training is required to script any protocol, helping save precious research time. Coupled with four truly independent blocks, the Alpha Cycler 4 can either be used for high throughput applications, or as a core service for multiple smaller groups. Regardless of the application, the Alpha Cycler 4 is suitable for life science laboratories that wish to achieve unprecedented accuracy and reliability in their PCR experiments.

A specially designed program wizard ensures the Alpha Cycler 4 optimizes reaction outcomes. Simply input the forward and reverse primer sequences, define the amplicon length and source of the template, and the wizard will create a bespoke protocol for your target with optimized cycling conditions.

Additionally, the software’s program storage also helps to make laboratory tasks simpler. The home screen of the Alpha Cycler 4 includes a recent programs list allowing users to assess and run their most commonly used programs in just two taps of the screen.

With exciting new software updates on the horizon, PCRmax are ensuring that upcoming developments allow customers to receive continuing quality and reliability that is second-to-none.

“Looking back at my time in the lab, a large proportion was spent getting used to systems, and then finding, creating or checking protocols”, said Dr Andrew Birnie, Business Development Specialist at PCRmax. “With the Alpha Cycler range of PCR systems, our aim was to give the user an accurate, reproducible and simple to use system, which is robust enough to deliver long into the future.”

Be part of the innovation – tweet your questions to @PCRmax48 with the hashtag #AlphaCycler4 for expert advice on how to get the most from your PCR process.

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PCR and Thermal CyclingPolymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits and thermal cyclers are used for the in vitro amplification of DNA permitting subsequent analysis and experimental procedures. Explore a range of high-quality polymerase, primers and nucleotides or simplify your workflow with a PCR mastermix. Find reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and cDNA synthesis kits for RNA products and libraries. Quantitatively measure the amplification of DNA with real-time PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) kits and systems, and discover automated PCR setup solutions to increase throughput. Alternative DNA amplification methods also include recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) kits. Find the best PCR kits and thermal cyclers and purification equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.DNA / RNA Extraction and PurificationPurified DNA and RNA are required for numerous downstream molecular biology applications. Consequently, the importance of high-quality DNA/RNA extraction and purification equipment cannot be underestimated. Many purification kits are available and are typically optimized for nucleic acid type and source, including plasmid DNA, genomic DNA, mRNA, RNA and viral nucleic acid purification kits. Automated extraction and purification of nucleic acids can be implemented with magnetic bead separator instruments or high-throughput purification workstations. Find the best DNA/RNA extraction and purification equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.DNA SequencingDNA sequencing, such as sanger sequencing, is a biological technique that determines the precise order of nucleotide bases in a fragment or template of DNA. DNA sequencers and genetic analyzers are based on capillary electrophoresis, where labeled DNA fragments are electrophoretically separated by size as they migrate through a polymer. Find the best DNA sequencing products, including DNA sequencing kits, genomic libraries and genetic identity kits in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Protein PurificationProtein purification is a vital step in drug discovery, therapeutics, biotech and life science research. The purification process typically involves subcellular or membrane protein extraction with cell lysis kits, separation of proteins from cell debris by filtration or spin columns, and the isolation of proteins of interest from other proteins and impurities with affinity purification (including fusion protein tags and antibody binding proteins A, G and L), immunoprecipitation or chromatographic methods, such as ion exchange, size exclusion and immobilized metal affinity chromatography. All purification methods come in multiple formats for your laboratory needs, including agarose or magnetic beads, resins, columns and filter plates. Find the best protein purification equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Next Generation SequencingNext-generation sequencing (NGS), also known as whole-genome sequencing, high-throughput sequencing and massive parallel sequencing, produces and analyses thousands to millions of nucleotide sequences at once. Sequencing systems operate via varying technologies depending on the manufacturer, including sequencing by synthesis, ligation, pyrosequencing, ion semiconductor and single-molecule real-time sequencing. For NGS, library preparation is paramount to successful sequencing. In this section, explore a range of library preparation kits, from targeted, amplicon-based or hybridization-based kits including epigenomic, transcriptomic and genomic workflows to fragmentation kits. Find the best next-generation sequencing products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Software PlatformsSoftware platforms are useful for various stages of laboratory experiments from data collection to data storage and processing. For instance lab software is available for system control, data management, data analysis and qualification / validation.High ThroughputHigh throughput experiments allow the simultaneous processing of several samples. This parallelization reduces the cost per experiment and increases reproducibility and output volume of data.DNA AmplificationDNA Amplification is a technique used to amplify a single or multiple copies of DNA or mRNA by orders of magnitude. The most common method employed is PCR, but other options exist that eliminate the need for thermocycling.SequencingSequencing refers to determining the order of nucleotides in a DNA or RNA molecule. This process is essential in genomics, diagnostics, and evolutionary biology. Techniques like next-generation sequencing (NGS) and Sanger sequencing provide high-throughput and precise data for analyzing genomes and transcriptomes. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best sequencing tools and reagents, compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Genotyping

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Alpha Cycler 4’s (PCRmax) Innovative Software Offers a User Friendly Experience and Reproducible Results Every Run