Pre-Plated, Breakaway Assays: An Answer to Assay Preparation Waste

Assay preparation is one of the necessary components of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) workflows, but one that is unfortunately prone to waste. Most labs have to account for this in their budgets and plan it into their operations—but what if there was a way to eliminate this waste entirely? Here, we’ll explore how breakaway, pre-plated PCR panels can lead to better assay prep management.

The Precarious Balancing Act of Inventory Management

Depending on the PCR test in question, labs must procure a variety of primers, probes, and reagents. Managing this inventory can be complex for a few reasons:

• Varying expiration dates: Most labs will deal with a variety of reagents to accommodate a
  range of PCR tests, which means needing to meticulously track expiration dates across a
  wide inventory. But even with the best record-keeping, products often expire before they are fully used, leading to disposal of the product.
• Storage requirements: Lab space is often on short supply, so allocating space for reagent
  storage—often under specialized conditions like refrigeration—means sacrificing space that could be utilized for other needs.
• Order unpredictability: Depending on the lab, testing demands may fluctuate, which can
  make it challenging to predict reagent usage accurately. For labs that plan for this by
  overstocking, waste and storage burdens are exacerbated. For those that understock,
  workflows can be disrupted when the requisite inventory is unavailable.
• Handling errors: Even with strict adherence to protocol and safety measures, frequent
  handling of reagents during inventory checks can increase the risk of contamination or
  spills, further contributing to wasted materials.
• Supply chain disruptions: Depending on the supplier, the availability of certain reagents can be affected by stock availability, particularly for specialty items. This can force labs to
  over-purchase when stock is available, which may once again lead to excess inventory and potential expiration issues.
• High minimum order quantities: Some suppliers may require labs to purchase reagents in
  bulk, even when the lab’s immediate needs don’t justify the volume, which can result in
  unused surplus.

The combined effect of these variables is often excess waste, which not only has budget-related implications, but also potential impacts to PCR workflows themselves.

The Inherently Wasteful Practice of Overage

Waste in PCR workflows doesn’t just come from inventory management, but is also inherent to the act of assay preparation itself. Pipetting loss, sample variability, and experiment adjustments can lead to a waste of materials and supplies. Most labs answer this challenge with “overage,” the practice of preparing surplus reagents. This allows them to account for the anticipated waste due to loss and be able to flexibly accommodate to situational variability in experiments. However, this can lead to wastage of:

• Primers

• Probes

• dNTPs

• Enzymes

• Buffers

• Consumables

Unfortunately, these reagents and supplies can be expensive, so overage-related waste can become a financial burden—a problem that scales the more your lab uses PCR. 

Operational Impacts of Assay Preparation Waste

Most labs assume a certain level of waste due to the challenges associated with inventory management and overage practices. But the implications of this waste extend beyond the immediate financial costs of wasted reagents and consumables:

1. Strain on Staff Resources

Managing overage, tracking expiration dates, and reordering reagents in ways that optimally minimize waste is an administrative burden, and one that does not capitalize on your personnel’s subject matter expertise. This can detract from activities your lab staff are specialized in, like validation, data analysis, experiment design, and troubleshooting. 

2. Budgetary Opportunity Cost

Over time, the financial impact of wasted reagents can place cumulative strain on lab budgets, especially as costs rise. As a result, labs may need to reallocate funding from other critical areas, such as equipment upgrades, staff training, or research initiatives.

3. Workflow Interruptions

Even under the best inventory management practices, materials sometimes expire without an immediately-available replacement. Alternatively, supply chain disruptions can occur—in both of these scenarios, workflows can be halted and projects can be delayed.

How Pre-Plated Breakaway Panels Can Help Reduce Waste

Many labs are choosing to implement pre-plated panels to address waste at multiple stages of the PCR workflow. A “breakaway” component can also allow you to use just as much of the panel as you need. The combined effect of these two features is better optimization of resources and more consistent PCR workflows.

1. Simplified Inventory Management

With pre-plated panels, the need to maintain and manage a large inventory of separate primers, probes, and reagents is reduced. These panels consolidate essential components into a
ready-to-use format, which also means simplified storage requirements and a lower risk of product expiration or contamination. For staff tasked with inventory oversight, pre-plated panels can help reduce related cognitive load.

2. Minimized Reagent Waste

Since pre-plated panels contain the main, critical reagents you need for your PCR workflows, you can eliminate the need for overage. Further, breakaway panels support the ability to “break off” only the number of wells required for a specific test, which means unused wells can simply be used later. This ensures minimal leftover materials and significantly decreases the financial burden associated with unused reagents.

Tackle Waste for Cost-Effective PCR Workflows

Waste is a pervasive issue in PCR that often goes unaddressed, quietly eroding lab budgets and workflows. Pre-plated breakaway panels can help labs reduce that waste, simplify inventory management, and optimize operational efficiency. Addressing waste isn’t just about saving money—it’s about positioning your lab for success in precision-focused research environments.

Read more on the benefits of pre-plated breakaway panels by downloading our whitepaper -  https://www.moleculardesigns.com/simplicity-whitepaper