title: PaR-PaR laboratory automation platform.
abstract: Labor-intensive multistep biological tasks, such as the construction and cloning of DNA molecules, are prime candidates for laboratory automation. Flexible and biology-friendly operation of robotic equipment is key to its successful integration in biological laboratories, and the efforts required to operate a robot must be much smaller than the alternative manual lab work. To achieve these goals, a simple high-level biology-friendly robot programming language is needed. We have developed and experimentally validated such a language: Programming a Robot (PaR-PaR). The syntax and compiler for the language are based on computer science principles and a deep understanding of biological workflows. PaR-PaR allows researchers to use liquid-handling robots effectively, enabling experiments that would not have been considered previously. After minimal training, a biologist can independently write complicated protocols for a robot within an hour. Adoption of PaR-PaR as a standard cross-platform language would enable hand-written or software-generated robotic protocols to be shared across laboratories.
authors: Fuels Synthesis Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute , Emeryville, California 94608, United States.
authors: Gregory
authors: G
authors: Linshiz
authors: Nina
authors: N
authors: Stawski
authors: Sean
authors: S
authors: Poust
authors: Changhao
authors: C
authors: Bi
authors: Jay D
authors: JD
authors: Keasling
authors: Nathan J
authors: NJ
authors: Hillson
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D057205:Automation, Laboratory / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D011381:Programming Languages; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012984:Software; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*