Sponsored content brought to you by
NGS continually delivers breakthroughs in genomics, and to do so, it relies on the crucial step of sample preparation. Complex and expensive workflows are significant challenges. At Revvity, we are addressing the need for more efficient and economical NGS solutions.
Library preparation is a high-stakes process. Every step, from DNA fragmentation to adapter ligation, size selection, and amplification, must be performed with great precision to prevent errors that could distort sequencing results.
Automated NGS library preparation workflows have emerged as a game-changing solution to break library prep bottlenecks and improve sequencing outcomes. By reducing human intervention, automated platforms minimize variability, errors, and sample loss, delivering reproducible and reliable sequencing-ready libraries.
Often however, for laboratory managers and users, the challenge is not installing and starting to use the automated sample preparation system, it is the difficult and time-consuming steps to get the automated protocols to create the proper libraries that are required for sequencing and the generation of high-quality genomic data.
NGS library prep solutions
The development of vendor-qualified, automated library methods offers a solution to this growing problem. Revvity pioneered this approach and has developed over 120 vendor-qualified automated library protocols with additional ones continuously in development.
Vendor-qualified methods drastically reduce the need for manual programming or custom protocol development. These protocols are pre-built, QC-tested, and vendor-approved to meet NGS kit performance standards without requiring extensive method development.
The three levels of automated library preparation readiness
When considering the choice and automation of an NGS library preparation kit, it is important to understand the three levels of automation solution readiness prior to making a decision.
- Protocol developed; software coded
While vendors may provide hardware with pre-written software protocols for basic DNA/RNA kits, the specialized NGS chemistries require extensive in-house testing and refinement. This “do-it-yourself” approach necessitates that laboratories handle protocol optimization, chemistry validation, and application qualification, a process that can be lengthy and costly, especially when vendor support is limited in NGS expertise.
- Water & chemistry tested with quality-control (QC) results
Automation vendors at this readiness level conduct thorough in-house testing, including liquid transfer verification, chemistry validation, and QC analysis. While this reduces the initial burden on a laboratory, it doesn’t eliminate it. Laboratories must conduct their own sequencing validation post-installation. This often reveals discrepancies necessitating protocol adjustments, as QC alone cannot predict all sequencing outcomes. This iterative process, involving protocol, chemistry, and library optimization, can extend for weeks or months.
- Fully vendor-qualified NGS libraries
For most of its automated protocols, Revvity goes beyond internal testing by sending final DNA/RNA libraries to NGS kit suppliers for sequencing and analysis. This rigorous process, culminating in kit vendor’s qualified status, confirms that the automated system produces results that meet stringent standards equivalent to manual methods. By offering a “plug-and-play” experience, vendor-qualified methods empower labs to move from installation to sequencing in as little as five days. Furthermore, ongoing collaboration between Revvity and kit vendors aims to maintain compatibility when/if kits are updated.
Cost and budget considerations
The true cost of an NGS library prep kit extends beyond the instrument and the reagent prices. Laboratories need to consider:
- Per-sample cost efficiency – Automation reduces labor expenses, reagent waste, and batch failures, lowering long-term costs.
- Vendor-qualified methods – Pre-validated automation protocols eliminate costly method validation and troubleshooting.
Selecting the right NGS library prep kit is essential for achieving high-quality, reproducible sequencing results, but it becomes even more important when integrating automation. By choosing vendor-qualified, automation-ready methods, researchers can tremendously reduce the burden of validation and optimization, fast-tracking sequencing.
At Revvity, we don’t just provide automation solutions—we are at your side to help you achieve your NGS goals.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
Visit our NGS library prep solutions to learn more www.revvity.com.
