Although originally designed for drug discovery, high-throughput automated patch clamp (APC) systems are increasingly used in academia, particularly for studying ion channel variants. Nevertheless, many academic researchers still think these systems are overkill for their needs – especially when facing limited cell availability or tight budgets.

So, does this mean that academic labs should miss out on the benefits of high-throughput electrophysiology and only settle for manual and/or lower-throughput systems?

Absolutely not.

Did you know that modern high-throughput systems, like the SyncroPatch 384, can easily transform into a lower throughput instrument with its 32-well mode? This feature allows you to tailor the SyncroPatch 384 to fit your specific experimental needs, essentially giving you two instruments in one!

Instead of using the entire 384-well chip in one run, you can use just a portion of the chip and save the rest for future use. This flexibility allows labs to optimize protocols and gather meaningful data from scarce samples while keeping costs manageable.

Are you focusing on assay development and smaller screening projects? The 32-well mode is ideal for that. Studying iPSCs or primary cardiomyocytes from small biopsies? Use the 32-well mode to screen a limited number of precious cells, or to test protocols without worrying about exhausting valuable cellular material, reagents and consumables.

And when you’re ready for high-throughput screening, simply switch to the 384 wells to access the full capabilities of the high-throughput automated patch clamp.

The 32-well mode provides a valuable solution for researchers who may have previously felt that high-throughput systems were out of reach due to resource limitations. It offers a more flexible and cost-effective approach, allowing scientists to pursue critical research questions without compromising on quality or ethics.

So, if you’ve been hesitant about incorporating high-throughput techniques into your work, this 32-well approach might just be worth considering.

To learn more about the use of 32-well mode in academic research, check out this case study on advancing cardiac research: Advancing cardiac research: 32 wells at a time