OpenWorkstation: A modular open-source technology for automated in vitro workflows

Sebastian Eggert; Pawel Mieszczanek; Christoph Meinert; Dietmar W Hutmacher

doi:10.1016/j.ohx.2020.e00152

OpenWorkstation: A modular open-source technology for automated in vitro workflows

HardwareX. 2020 Oct 20:8:e00152. doi: 10.1016/j.ohx.2020.e00152. eCollection 2020 Oct.

Authors

Sebastian Eggert^{1

2

3}, Pawel Mieszczanek^{1

2}, Christoph Meinert^{1

2}, Dietmar W Hutmacher^{1

2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000, QLD, Australia.
² School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000, QLD, Australia.
³ Chair of Medical Materials and Implants, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Munich School of BioEngineering, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany.
⁴ ARC ITTC in Additive Biomanufacturing, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000, QLD, Australia.

Abstract

Automation liberates scientific staff from repetitive tasks, decreases the probability of human error and consequently enhances the reproducibility of lab experiments. However, the use of laboratory automation in academic laboratories is limited due to high acquisition costs and the inability to customize off-the-shelf hardware. To address these challenges, we present an Open Source Hardware concept, referred to as OpenWorkstation, to build an assembly line-inspired platform consisting of ready-to-use and customizable modules. In contrast to current standalone solutions, the OpenWorkstation concept enables the combination of single hardware modules - each with a specific set of functionalities - to a modular workstation to provide a fully automated setup. The base setup consists of a pipetting and transport module and is designed to execute basic protocol steps for in vitro research applications, including pipetting operations for liquids and viscous substances and transportation of cell culture vessels between the modules. We demonstrate the successful application of this concept within a case study by the development of a storage module to facilitate high-throughput studies and a photo-crosslinker module to initiate photo-induced polymerization of hydrogel solutions. We present a Systems Engineering framework for customized module development, guidance for the design and assembly of the presented modules, and operational instructions on the usage of the workstation. By combining capabilities from various open source instrumentations into a modular technology platform, the OpenWorkstation concept will facilitate efficient and reliable experimentation for in vitro research. Ultimately, this concept will allow academic groups to improve replicability and reproducibility in cell culture process operations towards more economical and innovative research in the future.

Keywords: 3D cell culture; Additive biomanufacturing; Automation; Bioprinting; Hydrogels; Liquid handling robot; Modularity; Open source hardware; Reproducibility; Workstation.