Launched in 2021, the updated EZ2 Connect has quickly become a market-leading instrument for sample preparation and data management, contributing to a total of more than 5,500 EZ series instruments placed globally.
EZ2 Connect is designed to automate the entire process of nucleic acid purification, reducing hands-on time and increasing throughput while maintaining high precision and reproducibility.
Using EZ2 Connect enables researchers to focus more on data analysis and interpretation rather than repetitive manual sample processing. The system is particularly beneficial for laboratories handling medium volumes of samples for use across a range of downstream molecular biology research applications, such as digital PCR and next-generation sequencing (NGS).
“Achieving over 1,000 placements of the EZ2 Connect highlights the trust our customers place in QIAGEN’s automation portfolio to drive their laboratory operations,” said Nitin Sood, Senior Vice President, Head of the Life Sciences Business Area at QIAGEN. “We are committed to providing advanced automation that reduces manual tasks and gives researchers more time for analyses. With a comprehensive consumables portfolio, we are supporting researchers in various application areas.”
The EZ2 Connect portfolio encompasses kits and instruments which offer:
- Broad sample compatibility: kits support tissue, liquid biopsies, trace samples, cultured cells, FFPE (Formalin-Fixed Paraffin Embedded Tissue) and more
- Various possibilities for downstream analyses: nucleic acids purified from these samples can be used for downstream analyses with technologies such as digital PCR (dPCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS)
- Additional instrument versions: EZ2 Connect MDx tailored for diagnostic applications and clinical labs, and EZ2 Connect FX supporting forensic scientists with dedicated human ID and forensics protocols
- Diverse applications: EZ2 Connect supports applications such as diagnostics, genomics and cancer research, molecular epidemiology and forensics
A kit for the isolation of RNA from blood samples and two kits for forensic applications are planned for launch in 2025 to further expand the portfolio.
QIAGEN has recently launched the EZ2 PowerFecal Pro DNA/RNA Kit. With only a maximum of 27 minutes hands-on time, significantly shorter than the 45 minutes or more required by many comparable kits, it is among the most efficient kits on the market and enables the isolation of microbial DNA, RNA or total nucleic acids from stool samples.
The new kit expands the EZ2 Connect consumables portfolio into gut microbiome research, which is gaining importance in understanding the connection between microbial communities and human health. Researchers can gain knowledge about the role of gut bacteria in metabolic processes, immune function and disease progression. The growing focus on the microbiome has implications across a range of fields, including gastrointestinal disorders, obesity and neurological conditions.
QIAGEN offers a comprehensive portfolio for microbiome research, addressing every step of the scientific workflow from reliable sample preparation kits and automation solutions to downstream processing technologies such as digital PCR (dPCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR) or NGS, all complemented by robust bioinformatics tools.
QIAGEN continues to expand its portfolio of automated sample preparation solutions, aiming to support laboratories in achieving greater efficiency and consistency in their processes. From DNA and RNA extraction to advanced sample preparation from difficult sample types, QIAGEN’s automated instruments are designed to meet the diverse and rigorous needs of modern research labs to empower scientists in generating high-quality results across the spectrum of life science research.
For more information on the EZ2 Connect and QIAGEN’s suite of automated instruments, please visit https://www.qiagen.com/de-de/product-categories/instruments-and-automation/nucleic-acid-purification.
