Analysis in the field – the impact of real-time PCR testing

Holly has also loaned the Freedom4 out to some of her colleagues which has allowed them to run tests as they drive to different sites.

In 2015, Holly Bowers was a post-doctoral fellow with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), and was a finalist in the Freedom For You grants program. Her prize was a Freedom4 device, which allowed Holly to perform real-time analysis in the field for different algal bloom species.

This is one of the key strengths of the Freedom4. It’s mobile, flexible, and allows researchers to conduct analysis and testing in the field, rather than having to store up samples (some of which might not be needed) for a trip back to the laboratory.

It can be used on a boat, dockside, the flatbed of a truck or sitting on a beach. Holly is one of many researchers whose work frequently takes them out of the lab, and being able to use this battery-powered device anywhere, anytime has had a major impact on their ability to streamline their research processes and make better use of their resources.

It’s easy to transport with a durable casing, which means it’s not going to suffer unduly if it’s getting knocked about while in the field. The whole idea is to free the researcher from the laboratory to a location where their studies are best performed.

This has certainly been the case for Holly and her colleagues, who have seen major savings in time and resources. It’s real-time PCR in the field, and it’s been designed to offer the gold standard performance of laboratory-based platforms anytime, anywhere.

If you’re keen to find out more about the Freedom4 and how it can benefit your research, we’d love to discuss it with you.