NOVOstar - Cell-based fast kinetic microplate reader with integrated liquid transfer for rapidly screening up to 384 different analytes

		Fluorescence intensity
		Fluorescence polarization
		Time-resolved fluorescence
		Luminescence
		Absorbance

In the past, cell-based assays required the use of expensive HTS equipment, which lead to limited accessibility for scientists in the assay development stage. In order to reduce this bottleneck, BMG LABTECH developed the NOVOstar, an exciting microplate reader for screening a large number of compounds in fast kinetic, cell-based assays and research development. The NOVOstar is a compact microplate reader offering five detection modes in a unique combination with an integrated pipettor system for automated assembly and instantaneous reading of assays in microplate formats up to 384-well.

• Fluorescence Polarization


• Fluorescence Intensity - including FRET and multilable applications


• Time-Resolved Fluorescence - including DELFIA^®


• Absorbance - UV/Vis with path length correction


• High-Performance Luminescence (flash and glow) - DLReady^TM certified

Exceptional Technologies

The NOVOstar has numerous features that cannot be found on other microplate readers including:

• Dual Microplate Carrier: Accommodates one reagent plate and one sample plate, allowing you to rapidly screen up to 384 different analytes in one test run.


• Integrated Pipettor System: The system can be used for plate-to-plate and tube-to-plate liquid transfer, aspirating, dispensing, or mixing fluids within a microplate well. Very small amounts of substance (<1 µL) and individual volumes can be added followed by instantaneous reading.


• Additional Reagent Stations and Reagent Injectors: The pipettor system has access to 3 additional reagent stations (e.g. standard agonist/antagonists, ionophore, washing, etc.) and you can use any of the two injectors for dispensing these and other standard reagents choosing individual volumes for each well.


• User-defined Kinetic Sampling: The NOVOstar is one of the few microplate readers that can measure kinetic events with a resolution of 20 ms, allowing for calcium uptake assays to be performed with great precision. Furthermore, the control software allows the user to define variable sampling rates throughout the test run so that data evaluation can be simplified.


• Multi-wavelength Detection: NOVOstar uses a xenon flash lamp that allows measurement up to eight excitation/emission pairs in each well. This allows reading of dual excitation fluorophores such as Fura-2 with speed and convenience.


• Precise Temperature Control: The NOVOstar microplate reader incorporates BMG LABTECH's proprietary heating plates situated above and below the entire plate movement area providing for uniform incubation up to 45°C.


• Real-time Data Observation: Assay progress can be observed with the real-time graphics feature showing the measurment data either as a numerical value, color gradient, or X-Y plot.

Software

The NOVOstar multidetection microplate reader comes with BMG LABTECH's established reader control software and powerful MARS data analysis software. It is compatible with the Windows XP / Vista / 7 operating system, offers an extended ASCII data export function and is fully compliant with FDA regulation 21 CFR Part 11.

The familiar and highly visual reader control software allows flexible definition of microplate layouts, filter selection, interval and injection times, as well as measurement frequency, heating, and shaking parameters. During measurement, it is possible to observe the data with the current state view, which allows viewing of raw values, ratios, curves, or even color coded pictorials in real time.

The comprehensive Data Analysis Software - MARS - offers a template manager for building complex data processing protocols and a wizard-guided interface to create easy step-by-step calculations. New features include powerful sort and order functionality; averaging of raw and blank corrected data, lock on data trace, automated or user-defined range adjustment, zoom functions, and a curve fitting library to allow fast calculation of EC₅₀, IC₅₀, r², and CV values.

In order to run BMG LABTECH microplate readers, you also need a personal computer with Windows^TM operating system (7/Vista/Win 2000/XP). Easy export to MS Excel^TM 2007/2003/2000/XP is possible.

NOVOstar applications include:

• Calcium (Ca2+) uptake (AN104, AN157, 2.1163, 2.1018)


• Membrane potential studies (AN 123, 2.1090)


• Cell viability, proliferation assays (6.516, 2.1169)


• Enzyme activity and kinetics (AN132, 2.1251, 4.634, 4.602)


• Fluorescent reporter gene assays, e.g. GFP (2.109, 2.434)


• Luminescent reporter gene assays (4.597, 4.468)


• FRET-based assay, e.g. SUMO protease activity with YFP and enhanced CFP as donor-acceptor pair (AN163, 8.119)


• ELISAs (2.1252)

Due to the integrated pipettor system, the NOVOstar is especially well-suited to screen large numbers of compounds in kinetic cell-based assays or to create a dose response curve by measuring a wide range of analyte concentrations.

For BMG LABTECH application notes that can be performed on the NOVOstar, please click here.

Detection Modes	Fluorescence Intensity - including FRET Fluorescence Polarization / Anisotropy Luminescence (flash and glow) Time-Resolved Fluorescence - including DELFIA® UV/Vis absorbance
Measurement Modes	Top and bottom reading Endpoint and Kinetic measurements Sequential Multi Excitation measurements Sequential Multi Emission measurements Simultaneous Dual Emission measurements Ratiometric measurements
Certified for	DLReady™
Microplate Formats	6 to 384-well plates, user-definable
Microplate Carrier	Dual: one reagent plate and one measurement plate
Light Sources	High energy xenon flash lamp
Detectors	Low noise photomultiplier tube
Wavelength Selection	Optical Filters: Ex and Em wheels for 8 filters each
Optical Filters	Excitation and emission filter wheels for 8 filters each
Optical Path Guides	Top: Liquid filled light guides Bottom: Fiber optics
Spectral Range	240 - 750 nm or 240 - 900 nm for ABS, FI, FP, FRET, TRF, TR-FRET 240 - 750 nm for LUM
Sensitivity*	FI < 50pM (< 1 fmol/well Fluorescein, 384sv, 20 μL) FP < 5 mP SD at 1 nM Fluorescein, 96, 200 μL TRF < 3.5 pM (< 70 amol/well Europium, 384sv, 20 μL) LUM < 1.5 pM (< 30 amol/well ATP, 384sv, 20 μL) ABS Dynamic range: ±0.000 - 4.000 OD Reproducibility: ±0.010 OD for 0 - 2 OD range
Read Times	Flying mode 14 s (96), 27 s (384)
Reagent Injection	Up to 2 built-in reagent injectors Injection at measurement position (6 to 384-well) Individual injection volumes for each well (3 to 350 µL) Variable injection speed up to 420 µL / s Up to four injection events per well Reagent back flushing
Pipettor System	Injection volume: 0.5 µL - 100 µL Individual injection volumes for each well Variable injection speed Plate-to-plate transfer + 3 reagent stations + washing station
Shaking	Linear, orbital, and double-orbital with user-definable time and speed
Purge Gas Vent	System to inject an atmosphere or to pull a vacuum into the reader
Incubation	+5°C above ambient up to 45°C or 60°C
Software	Multi-user Reader Control and MARS Data Analysis Software included, FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliant
Dimensions	Width: 78 cm, depth: 53 cm, height: 30 cm; weight: 55 kg
Accessories	Optional Accessories
THERMOstar	Microplate Incubator and Shaker
Optical Filters	Optimized for dyes, fluorophores and specific assays Filters for all applications from UV to NIR Customized filters available upon request
Upgrades	Upgrades to include options such as additional detection modes, reagent injectors, etc. are available. Please contact your local representative for more information.
*	LOD = 3 x SD (20 blanks) / slope (6 pt std curve) Microplatets: white for LUM, TRF; black for FI, FP; clear for ABS 96 = 96-well microplates 384sv = 384-well small volume microplates 384g = 384-well glass bottom microplates

Not all of the features mentioned above are available in the basic units or in all detection modes. Optional accessories may be necessary to perform certain assays. Please contact your local distributor for details.

Additional Accessories:
Videos:
Downloads:
Additional Links: Applications Compatibility BMG LABTECH Software

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