Hamilton Microlab STAR liquid handling robot.

Serology and Diagnostics

High Throughput Facility

University of Ottawa

OUR VISION

Provide population-scale molecular diagnostics and serology services for the surveillance of infectious diseases and studying vaccine immune responses in humans and animals.

OUR MISSION

Support research using cutting-edge high throughput robotic automation and provide research

study design and data analysis services.

Assay plates on a Hamilton Microlab STAR liquid handling robot.

Our Story

The Serology and Diagnostics High Throughput Facility opened its doors in January 2021 to support Canadian research efforts responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through large-cohort serological profiling of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, we conducted sero-surveillance, assessed vaccine-dosing strategies, and provided valuable vaccine immune response information for for general and at-risk populations.

While COVID-19 research support is ongoing, we are actively incorporating our expertise into other pathogens of interest to bring Canada to the forefront of disease and pandemic management. We believe in the importance of proactive, One Health approaches to population health.

Our Pipeline

Study Design

Sample Receipt and Processing

Automated High Throughput Assays

Data Processing, Analysis and Archiving

Data Reporting and Publication Support

Impact Enhancements

Core Services

Hover over each step for more information

Contributions to epidemiology and infectious disease knowledge base

Call upon our scientific and operational expertise to assist in project development, logistical planning and grant writing. Our perspectives and experience conducting automated high throughput assays can provide an extra impact, and reduce unforeseen logistical complications, to bring your study to the next level.

Thorough sample receiving process to ensure samples arrive in good order
Documented plating and tracking of biosamples
In-house punching of dried blood spot samples with automatic plate map generation
Secure, short-term storage in dedicated 4° C, -20° C and -80° C space
Sample quality assessment and quality reporting

Detection of IgG, IgA, IgM against SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Nucleocapsid
Measurement of Spike antibody Neutralization capacity
Work with serum, plasma, dried Blood Spots
Throughput of over 12,000 samples/assays per week
Development of Influenza A and RSV antibody assays underway

Conversion of raw data to serological titers or antibody inhibitory capacity
Quality control of automated assay runs
Normalization of longitudinal data
Batch-to-batch normalization

Make robust conclusions and demonstrate data interpretation clearly with accurate and understandable visual representations. Our expertise can aid in manuscript preparation, including figure generation, contextualization of findings, methods descriptions, and manuscript editing.

Contributions to epidemiology and infectious disease knowledge base