Synbiosis Launches: New ProtoCOL 2 UV Imaging Accessory For Fast Counting of Fluorescent Colonies and Plaques
Cambridge, UK: Synbiosis, a world-leading manufacturer of automated microbiological
systems, is delighted to introduce ProcUV, its new UV imaging
accessory for the ProtoCOL 2 system. ProcUV permits instant imaging of
fluorescent colonies and plaques so they can be automatically counted or
analysed by ProtoCOL 2, thus saving time and improving accuracy of results.
Based on advanced fluorescent imaging technology, the compact ProcUV
accessory, which can be simply connected to the ProtoCOL 2 system, consists of
a cabinet with a sliding, auto-locking door to prevent accidental UV exposure. The
cabinet contains a high resolution camera and internal UV and white lighting and
is also equipped with specialised interchangeable filters, to allow microbiologists
to view fluorescing bacteria, such as Pseudomonas fluorescens, fluorescent
plaques and bacteria expressing Green Fluorescent Proteins.
ProcUV is simple to set up as its automatic exposure time settings ensure users
can capture colony images at the touch of a button. The high-quality images can
then be directly transferred into the ProtoCOL 2 in seconds, where the ProtoCOL
2 counts and analyses results automatically, to save microbiologists countless
hours of repetitive work.
Martin Smith of Synbiosis stated: “Fluorescent colonies and plaques are the most
difficult ones to count, as they require specific UV lighting conditions to be able to
see them. This means that a powerful imaging system equipped with specialised
filters to enable the camera to image each fluorescing colony is required.”
Martin Smith added: “We have risen to this challenge and by utilising the decades
of imaging expertise we have in-house, we have come up with the perfect costeffective
solution in the ProcUV. For any microbiology laboratory wanting to
extend the capability of their ProtoCOL 2 system to perform different types of
fluorescent colony and plaque analyses, the ProcUV is ideal.”
Synbiosis is a world-leading supplier of integrated imaging solutions for automatic counting
and analysis of microbial colonies and zone measurement. The ProtoCOL 2 and åCOLyte
systems from Synbiosis are installed in food, pharmaceutical, environmental and research
microbiology laboratories world-wide. Synbiosis uses established distribution channels to
market its products internationally.
Synbiosis, founded in 1998 is a division of the Synoptics Group based in Cambridge UK.
The Group’s other divisions, Syncroscopy and Syngene, specialise in digital imaging
solutions for microscopy and molecular biology applications respectively. Synoptics
currently employs 40 people in its UK and US subsidiary operation.