New benchtop platform boosts speed, sterility, and accuracy for microbiology research in synthetic biology, microbiome, and protein engineering labs

Molecular Devices has launched a new automated platform designed to remove longstanding bottlenecks in microbial colony picking. The QPix FLEX Microbial Colony Picking System, revealed today, aims to streamline the traditionally manual and error-prone workflow used in microbiome, protein engineering, and synthetic biology research.

Built on over two decades of experience in colony picking technology, the new system delivers end-to-end automation—from plating and streaking to colony picking and hit selection—allowing labs to scale their microbial screening efforts with minimal manual input. The company says the platform delivers more than 95% efficiency and near-perfect picking accuracy, all within a compact footprint designed to fit on standard lab benches or inside anaerobic chambers.

“This multifunctional, integrated platform streamlines microbiology workflows and boosts productivity with advanced multimodal imaging and high-efficiency picking, making it ideal for small labs or challenging microbes,” said Mary Duseau, president of molecular devices. “It reflects our commitment to enabling all scientists—regardless of lab size—to innovate faster, scale up more confidently, and achieve scientific breakthroughs in synthetic biology, microbiome research, and beyond.”

The QPix FLEX system incorporates advanced imaging and ultrasonic agar sensing, providing detailed phenotypic analysis—including morphology and colour—to guide high-precision colony selection. To protect sample integrity and reduce contamination, the platform integrates UV decontamination, ultrasonic tip washing, and optional HEPA filtration. Barcode-based tracking ensures traceability at every step, supporting compliance and reproducibility.

As research demands grow and timelines tighten, many labs face mounting pressure to scale up without compromising sterility or data quality. Molecular Devices believes the QPix FLEX offers a solution tailored to meet these challenges, helping scientists automate microbial screening in even the most space-constrained environments.

The platform’s modular architecture and configurable deck enable users to expand capabilities over time, supporting both current needs and future growth. By eliminating manual steps and enabling seamless data capture, the QPix FLEX system is positioned as a key enabler for more efficient, accurate microbial research at scale.