If you have a set of samples of varying concentration and you want to standardize the concentration of all of your samples, try using the Normalize element.
In this example we will normalize the concentration of a set of bacterial cultures so that they have the same mass of cells per ml (mg/ml).
Get started
Read the introduction to this series of tutorials, then complete all of the previous tutorials in the series. For more information, click here.
Create a workflow in the builder. To learn how, click here.
Rename the workflow Core elements tutorial 4.2. To learn how, click here.
Select the device on which you want to run your workflow. To learn how, click here.
Select a default plate type. To learn how, click here.
Define your samples and workflow structure
In the Workflow Builder add three elements to your canvas: 2 x Define Liquids And Plates and 1 x Normalize. Rename the liquid definition elements to
Define BiomassandDefine Diluent.Connect the output Liquids parameter from one of your Define Biomass element into the Liquids To Normalize input parameter of your Normalize element.
Connect the output Liquids parameter from Define Diluent element into the Diluents input of Normalize.
Define the samples you want to normalize. To learn how, click here. As this normalization is in place the parameters Plate Name, Plate Type, Location and Volume must be completed.
Define your Diluent.
Define Liquid Handling Behaviour
In the Normalize element select the In Place option in the Normalization Location parameter and the By Concentration option in the Normalization Mode parameter.
Specify which diluent to use for each normalization in Diluent To Use Per Liquid.
In the Normalization Options specify the Target Concentration.
Simulate the workflow
Check that the device that you selected can follow the instructions that you prepared. To learn how, click here.
Preview the execution
After you simulate the workflow, click View Simulation to open the simulation details.
Open the Preview tab, then click through the steps to check that the instructions that Synthace has generated are correct.
You will see that different volumes of diluent are added to wells in your sample input plate which contain the starting liquids. The final concentration of the resulting samples will have been normalized to the same concentration.
Check your work:
To see what your finished workflow to this tutorial should look like simply navigate to the Tutorials and search for Tutorial: 4. Normalize.
Challenges
Here we have normalized the samples according to their concentration. It is also possible to normalize based on the concentration of a specific sub component. See if you can modify the workflow to normalize a set of sample by a specific subcomponent.
Hint: Subcomponent concentrations can be added in the Define Liquids and Plates element.