Robotic implementation of a microchip-based protein clean-up and enrichment system for MALDI-TOF MS readout

A capillary filling microfluidic proteomic sample processing system has been realized in an automated set-up. Chip-integrated solid-phase extraction is performed in a 96-array format followed by sequential capillary action elution into a piezoelectric microdispenser and subsequent transfer to MALDI targets. Samples are eluted and deposited in volumes of 200–300 nl. The robotic system offers calibration to user-defined microextraction arrays and MALDI-target formats at micrometre resolution. Built-in force feedback control ensures a precise and robust microchip docking/handling in three dimensions. An efficient automated washing protocol eliminates analyte carry-over. System throughput ranges typically from 50–100 samples h-1.