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Student-built system unlocks fully autonomous electroporation for 96- and 384-well workflows

Phys · · 927 words · By Nicole Wilkins
Laboratory Automation Student Achievement Academic Innovation
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What to know about Laboratory Automation

Two UCLA students, Beatrice Mihalache and Benjamin Flom, developed a software and mechanical system to automate the Fisher Scientific BTX Gemini X2 Electroporation System. Their integration allows the device to function within the Living Biofoundry's automated synthetic biology pipelines, removing the need for manual operation.

Propaganda risk 10%
Claims checked 10
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center67%
Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Student-built system unlocks fully autonomous electroporation for 96- and 384-well workflows Andrew Zinin Lead Editor Inside the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA, where some of the most advanced and technical automated infrastructure on campus…

Why it matters

The Living Biofoundry, a core resource of the BioPACIFIC Materials Innovation Platform, had just installed the powerful Fisher Scientific BTX Gemini X2 Electroporation System.

Common ground

The instrument enables researchers to efficiently insert DNA or RNA into organisms ranging from bacteria and yeast to mammalian cells.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Two UCLA students, Beatrice Mihalache and Benjamin Flom, developed a software and mechanical system to automate the Fisher Scientific BTX Gemini X2 Electroporation System. Their integration allows the device to function within the Living Biofoundry's automated synthetic biology pipelines, removing the need for manual operation.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-student-built-fully-autonomous-electroporation.htm…

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 6
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified 1
check_circle Corroborated 1
info
Claim 1: “Because the electroporator lacked a public API, she developed a software bridge that translated commands between systems.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence includes user manuals and safety compliance but does not mention the existence or absence of a public API for the BTX Gemini X2.
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web search NEUTRAL — Gemini X2 and gemini X2 HT. The Gemini X2 system provides the ultimate experimental flexibility. This one easy setup allows for transfections in cuvettes or high throughput plates, or the capability t…
https://www.fisherbiotec.com.au/uploads/2025/02/BTX-Gemini-T…
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web search NEUTRAL — BTX Gemini X2, SC electroporation system User’s Manual.Do not orient the equipment so that it is difficult to operate the disconnection device. Place Product in Proper Environment. Review the operatin…
https://manualzz.com/doc/32206694/btx-gemini-x2--sc-electrop…
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web search NEUTRAL — The BTX Gemini X² & BTX Gemini SC² systems comply with the applicable sections of IEC 61010-1:2012 3rd Ed – Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control, and laboratory use.
https://lbk.fe.uni-lj.si/ic/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Gemin…
help
Claim 2: “Because the lab's automation infrastructure can be accessed remotely, researchers do not need to be physically present on campus to run experiments.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding the remote access capabilities of the Living Biofoundry's infrastructure.
verified
Claim 3: “The instrument enables researchers to efficiently insert DNA or RNA into organisms ranging from bacteria and yeast to mammalian cells.”
VERIFIED
The evidence explicitly states that the Gemini X2 allows users to work on microbes such as bacteria and yeast, as well as mammalian cells, for DNA/RNA transfer.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The only shared-use instrument of its kind on campus, the Fisher Scientific BTX Gemini X2 Electroporation System is located at the Living Biofoundry, a resource of the BioPACIFIC MIP, an NSF-supported…
https://cnsi.ucla.edu/september-19-2024-researchers-can-quic…
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web search NEUTRAL — As a result, users have the flexibility to work on microbes such as bacteria and yeast, as well as mammalian cells and tissues, in vivo, in vitro and with CRISPR gene-editing experiments. The 96-well …
https://biopacificmip.org/platform/instrumentation/fisher-sc…
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web search NEUTRAL — DNA Delivery Into Cells Using Electroporation. General Electroporation Discussion.DNA/RNA Concentrations. Electroporation is typically thought of as a nucleic acid (DNA, mRNA, siRNA and miRNA) transfe…
https://wikis.mit.edu/confluence/download/attachments/986170…
info
Claim 4: “Students Beatrice Mihalache (Biophysics '25) and Benjamin Flom (2nd year, Electrical Engineering) decided to remove [the manual steps].”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the equipment exists, the specific claim about students Beatrice Mihalache and Benjamin Flom developing an automation system is not corroborated by the provided search results, which focus on the hardware specifications.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Gemini X2 Electroporation System Complete, for Cuvettes. SKU: 452040. Pack Size: Each.Add Gemini X2 High Throughput Electroporation System, 96-well with HT-200 to your quote.
https://www.fisherbiotec.com.au/products/gemini-x2-electropo…
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web search NEUTRAL — Importantly, the system matches advanced features with a user-friendly interface on a large color touchscreen. Remote operation is possible with a footswitch or via PC. Internal log storage of experim…
https://biopacificmip.org/platform/instrumentation/fisher-sc…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — BTX Gemini X2, SC electroporation system User’s Manual.Use only the specified line cord for this product and make sure line cord is certified for country of use.The operating voltage range for the BTX…
https://manualzz.com/doc/32206694/btx-gemini-x2--sc-electrop…
info
Claim 5: “Existing automated electroporation systems on the market did not offer twin wave functionality i.e. the ability to switch between exponential decay pulses... and square waves”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence discusses exponential decay and square waves generally, but does not provide a market comparison of automated electroporation systems to verify if this specific functionality was missing from others.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Exponential decay occurs in a wide variety of situations. Most of these fall into the domain of the natural sciences. Many decay processes that are often treated as exponential, are really only expone…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponential_decay
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Electroporation-mediated gene delivery is a cornerstone of synthetic biology, offering several advantages over other methods: higher efficiencies, broader applicability, and simpler sample preparation…
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12383916/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Bipolar square wave pulses In the 2000s, the electroporation techniques using bipolar, CANCAN pulses also called biphasic pulses, were focused on, while the first works were published in the early 1990…
https://www.academia.edu/115290950/Does_the_shape_of_the_ele…
help
Claim 6: “They worked with engineers from BTX and ThermoFisher, and with Living Biofoundry technical director Mike Lake and associate project scientist Ikechukwu "Ike" Okorafor”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding collaboration with Mike Lake or Ikechukwu Okorafor.
check_circle
Claim 7: “Inside the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA... The Living Biofoundry, a core resource of the BioPACIFIC Materials Innovation Platform, had just installed the powerful Fisher Scientific BTX Gemini X2 Electroporation System.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm the Fisher Scientific BTX Gemini X2 Electroporation System is located at the Living Biofoundry, which is a resource of the BioPACIFIC MIP involving CNSI nodes at UCLA and UCSB.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) is an integrated research center operating jointly at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara. Its missions are to foster interdisciplinary collaborations for discoveries…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_NanoSystems_Institu…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The 96-well plate handler has automated track switching and is compatible with every type of buffer. Importantly, the system matches advanced features with a user-friendly interface on a large color t…
https://biopacificmip.org/platform/instrumentation/fisher-sc…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Established in 2000 as one of Governer Gray Davis' California Institutes for Science and Innovation, the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) at UCLA is a world-class research facility located at t…
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX79z3OLVLmpS2i7kahQEgw
info
Claim 8: “The HT-200 plate handler still required someone to press the lid-release button, lift and close the lid and initiate runs.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence confirms the HT-200 has 'auto-switching' features, but does not explicitly detail the manual requirement of pressing a lid-release button as described in the claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Manuals & Release Notes.The HT-100 Plate Handler is a manual switching unit that allows for individual column selection for pulsing column by column, while the HT-200 offers an auto-switching feature …
https://support.btxonline.com/hc/en-us/articles/635204614005…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Description. HT-200 Microplate Handler, Auto-Sense Track Switching. Display. LCD.Complete the form below to schedule a meeting with your Sales Representative. Required Field *.
https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/96-well-plate-handle…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The HT200 Harvard Apparatus BTX Plate Handler is a high-performance, automated liquid handling system designed for 96-well microplates. This versatile instrument is an essential tool for laboratories …
https://labequipi.com/ht200
info
Claim 9: “Flom collaborated with his younger brother, Alex, to design a custom enclosure fitted with actuators.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Search results identify a Benjamin Flom and an Alex Flom, but there is no evidence linking them to the design of a custom enclosure for this specific electroporation system.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In this compelling episode, join us as we sit down with Alex Flom, whose life story weaves through the extremes of human experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWAySQvHcr0
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Rotary Phase Converter Designs and Plans. old champion compressor.
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/categories/images-a…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Benjamin Flom. Affiliation. Ceragon Networks. Publication Topics. MMIC, integrated circuit design, system-on-chip.Advanced methods for the design and verification of the must-have building blocks are …
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37088735170
info
Claim 10: “The Laboratory Automation System (LAS) orchestrates workflows in which robotic movers shuttle 96- or 384-well plates between instruments.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results for 'Living' returned dictionary definitions and real estate info rather than technical details about the Living Biofoundry's Laboratory Automation System (LAS).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The meaning of LIVING is having life. How to use living in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — LIVING definition: 1. alive now: 2. still existing: 3. the money that you earn from your job: . Learn more.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/living
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Is Eagle Mountain, Utah a good place to live? Discover the pros and cons of living in Eagle Mountain, whether it’s cheap or expensive, Eagle Mountain’s crime ranking, and why people are moving to or a…
https://www.localobserverdaily.com/utah/eagle-mountain/5897
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.