Pillar Biosciences and Hamilton Automate Nexus 21 Cancer Panel

The collaboration between Pillar Biosciences and Hamilton Company marks the second validated automation workflow to emerge from their ongoing strategic partnership. By applying Pillar’s SLIMamp target enrichment technology to Hamilton’s liquid handling platforms, researchers can now interrogate 21 genes associated with both solid organ and blood-based cancers with significantly reduced manual intervention.

This method supports flexible throughput, allowing labs to process between 8 and 96 libraries simultaneously on the STAR platform or 8 to 24 on the STARlet. The workflow utilizes Hamilton’s Multi-Probe Head to synchronize on-deck processing, which minimizes dead volume and eliminates the need for mid-run tip reloads. According to ShiPing Zou, Senior Director of Global Product Management at Pillar, the integration aims to lower hands-on labor requirements while maintaining the high reproducibility necessary for complex molecular diagnostics. Michael Mouradian, Vice President of Scientific Strategy at Hamilton, noted that the expansion gives clinical and research labs a scalable path to adopt streamlined NGS testing tailored to their specific volume demands.