EZ2 Connect Fx

Meet your lab’s need for increased throughput, reproducibility and flexibility with the EZ2 Connect Fx. This benchtop instrument automates processing of up to 24 samples at a time in around 20 minutes using the EZ1 Advanced XL magnetic-bead purification technology you know and trust. Easily access a variety of dedicated human ID and forensics protocols at the push of a button and isolate high-quality DNA for numerous downstream applications from a wide range of sample types, such as cigarette butts, saliva, blood, touch samples, bone and semen. Benefit from the EZ2 Connect Fx’s flexibility in sample input and elution volumes, with protocols allowing for up 1000 µl of input lysate and elution volumes ranging from 20 µl – 200 µl. Plus, with its remote connectivity feature, you can monitor your runs and manage your instrument even from outside the lab.

The EZ2 Connect Fx helps labs processing forensic samples attain a whole new level of flexibility and convenience by fully automating nucleic acid extraction from a wide variety of sample types. Boost the speed and reproducibility of your experiments by drastically reducing manual pipetting steps and replacing them with EZ2 Connect Fx’s prefilled-reagent-cartridge system. Increase your lab throughput by processing up to 24 samples at the same time. The EZ2 Connect Fx is also compatible with LIMS and QIAsphere so you can monitor your runs and manage your instrument remotely. Simply install the QIAsphere app on your preferred tablet or smartphone or by accessing the QIAsphere web app through your laptop or desktop browser. The EZ2 Connect Fx provides human ID-tailored protocols vetted on the EZ1 Advanced XL, as well as new protocols for reduced elution volumes and large working volumes. Results from equivalence testing show that the EZ2 Connect Fx provides excellent DNA yields across a range of input sample dilutions, similar to the EZ1 Advanced XL (see figure  Same excellent DNA yield when compared with the EZ1 Advanced XL). In addition, the EZ2 Connect Fx performs consistently across a range of elution volumes, including down to 20 µl (see figure  Consistent results for even very low elution volumes).

The EZ2 Connect Fx uses a piercing mechanism to open prefilled reagent cartridges. It then aspirates and dispenses samples and reagents with a 24-channel pipettor head. If heating is required by the protocol, an on-board heating system controls the temperature of the liquids. Nucleic acid binding, washing and elution are all performed automatically with in-tip magnetic bead technology in around 20 minutes. This principle is based on the proven technology of the EZ1 Advanced XL (see figure  Built from proven EZ1 technology).

Switch on the instrument and login using the user management system. Following instructions on the touchscreen display, the user loads labware and samples onto the EZ2 Connect Fx worktable, chooses a preinstalled protocol and starts a run. During the run, the instrument purifies the lysate by binding, washing and eluting the nucleic acids, while the user can leave the lab to focus on other tasks. Once the run is over, the QIAsphere App or LIMS integrated into EZ2 Connect Fx notifies the user that the run is completed, and the user may return to the machine to collect their purified nucleic acids (see figure  Three simple steps to isolate DNA and RNA).

Nucleic acids purified using the EZ2 Connect Fx and the appropriate QIAGEN Kits can be used for human ID and forensic downstream analysis such as PCR, qPCR, next-generation sequencing (NGS) or digital PCR (dPCR) (see figure  One instrument, numerous applications).