Scaling next-generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation without increasing headcount is one of the most persistent throughput challenges in clinical genomics. OGT has unveiled automation capabilities across its SureSeq NGS portfolio, compatible with the Hamilton NGS STAR MOA, giving clinical research laboratories a route to higher sample throughput without proportional increases in hands-on time.
Why Manual NGS Library Preparation Has Become a Throughput Bottleneck
Rising sample volumes in clinical genomics have exposed the limits of manual library preparation. Each step from DNA fragmentation and adapter ligation to post-ligation purification and targeted enrichment demands precise, repetitive handling, and a single error can compromise an entire sequencing run. For hematological malignancy testing, where minimal residual disease (MRD) panels require consistent, reproducible NGS library preparation inputs, that variability carries real diagnostic risk.
The FDA's guidance on NGS-based diagnostic test validation puts analytical validity, meaning how accurately a test detects a genomic change, at the center of regulatory confidence in NGS workflows. Standardizing library preparation is the most direct way to achieve it; manual variability at this stage produces less predictable, less reproducible sequencing outcomes.
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Developed in close collaboration with laboratory partners and workflow specialists, OGT's SureSeq automation targets the most labor-intensive preparation steps.
The gains are substantial enough to change how high-volume labs plan their sequencing capacity:
- Hands-on time: 65% reduction compared to equivalent manual runs
- Run throughput: up to 96 whole-genome sequencing (WGS) libraries in under five hours, a 500% speed increase versus manual processing
- Instrument compatibility: Hamilton NGS STAR MOA liquid handling platform
- Workflow coverage: automated scripts covering the most time-consuming stages of SureSeq NGS library preparation
- Implementation support: dedicated application team assistance from setup through workflow validation
SureSeq Applications: Haematological Malignancy Research and High-Volume NGS Labs
Automation-enabled SureSeq NGS workflows are built for clinical research laboratories processing high sample volumes in hematological malignancy settings, where throughput and reproducibility are closely linked to result quality. The NGS library preparation automation covers multiple sample types, and labs can scale capacity without adding headcount.
Labs running targeted MRD panels, including the recently launched SureSeq Myeloid MRD Plus NGS Panel, are well placed to take advantage. Ultra-low variant detection depends on NGS library preparation inputs of consistent quality and fragment length; the automated workflow standardizes those steps directly, keeping detection thresholds defined by variant allele frequency within reach.
OGT's SureSeq automation extends a broader platform investment, pairing automated NGS library preparation with a growing hematological malignancy panel portfolio to support consistent, high-confidence genomic analysis across larger sample cohorts.
Where manual NGS library preparation is constrained by operator variability and batch size, the SureSeq automated workflow trades both for scripted consistency and a fivefold throughput increase:
| Parameter | Manual processing | Automated SureSeq |
|---|---|---|
| Hands-on time | Full duration | 65% reduction |
| WGS libraries per run | Batch-limited | Up to 96 |
| Processing speed | Standard | 500% faster |
| Variability | Operator-dependent | Standardized by automation script |
| Instrument platform | Manual pipetting | Hamilton NGS STAR MOA |
Adrian Smith, CEO of OGT, remarks: "NGS automation is essential for high-volume labs to get the most out of their NGS analysis. By removing labour-intensive manual steps, labs can dramatically increase capacity, improve reproducibility and consistency allowing them to focus their teams where it matters most."
SureSeq NGS Automation Addresses Library Preparation Throughput in Hematological Malignancy Research
OGT's automation-enabled SureSeq NGS library preparation workflows deliver a 65% reduction in hands-on time and a 500% increase in processing speed, directly addressing the manual bottleneck that limits high-volume clinical research labs. Standardizing the most variable preparation steps on the Hamilton NGS STAR MOA preserves the analytical integrity of validated SureSeq panel workflows while extending throughput capacity. For hematological malignancy research settings with growing sample queues, automated NGS library preparation paired with a targeted panel portfolio gives laboratories a practical path to consistent, reproducible genomic results at higher volumes.
This article is based on a press release by OGT and was produced under Separation Science's AI Editorial Guidelines.
