OT-2 cell culture automation
Undergraduate Researcher, sole author of the automation work
Status: Shipped
- Residual volume 185 µL → 10 µL
- 4 cell lines
- 4 passaging methods, 10 trials
- Poster presented to 300+ at ABBME and 60+ at VetMed
What I did
- Programmed the Opentrons OT-2 to automate passaging of 4 mammalian cell lines.
- Built a modular Python/JSON repo for robot control.
- Wrote a custom PBS-wash function.
- Benchmarked 4 passaging methods over 10 trials by fluorescence imaging.
- Reduced residual volume from 185 µL to 10 µL with an edge/tilt aspiration change.
- Revised the mixing protocol (7 mix points per well).
- Created a poster on cell-culture automation, residual volume, contamination and cell-lifting comparisons (Jun 2025 – Nov 2025), presented at ABBME (Canmore, Oct 2025, 300+ attendees), SSE URP (Aug 2026) and VetMed (60+ attendees).
What the team did
- Valentyna Maslieieva, co-author. The specific division of labor is not detailed.
- Prof. Mark Ungrin, PI.
Milestones
7 of 7 done
- Programmed the OT-2 to passage four cell lines
- Built the modular Python/JSON repo
- Wrote the PBS-wash function
- Benchmarked four passaging methods over 10 trials
- Cut residual volume 185 to 10 µL
- Revised the mixing protocol
- Presented the poster at ABBME, SSE URP and VetMed
Problem and context
[TO FILL: problem and context]
Process
[TO FILL: process, photos, diagrams]
Photos
ungrin-ot2-deck-01.jpgThe Opentrons OT-2 with labware on the deck(wanted)What I'd do next
[TO FILL: what I would do next]