Lab Facility - Ramsuran Lab

Inside The Lab

Technology that powers our research

Our laboratory brings together advanced technologies for genetic analysis, sequencing, molecular profiling and data generation, enabling researchers to take projects from sample preparation through to high-quality genomic data. The lab also houses specialised platforms that are among the first of their kind to be established in Africa, strengthening local access to advanced genomic technologies and expanding what can be achieved on the continent.’

The Instruments

BD FACS ARia III

a high-speed, benchtop cell sorter and flow cytometer used widely in biomedical research. It physically separates distinct cell populations from a heterogeneous mixture based on their physical and fluorescence properties.

BD FACS ARia III flow cytometer: Becton, Dickinson and Company Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting Aria Three Cell Sorter

MGI DNBSEQ-G99

a small, ultra-fast genetic sequencer designed to deliver data in under 12 hours. It is used for urgent testing where getting genetic results quickly is the main priority.

MGI DNBSEQ-G99 Sequencer

MGI DNBSEQ-G400

a high-tech laboratory desktop machine used to read genetic code (DNA and RNA). It acts like a high-speed scanner for biological data, helping scientists study genes to understand diseases, track viruses, and research plants and animals.

MGI DNBSEQ-G400 Sequencer

MGISP-100

an automated liquid handling workstation that standardises nucleic acid extraction and NGS library preparation to eliminate manual error.

MGISP-100 (Liquid Handler)

Affymetrix GeneTitan

fully automated benchtop system integrates hybridization, fluidics, and imaging to streamline high-throughput microarray processing. It eliminates manual errors to deliver the ultra-reproducible genotype data required for large-scale GWAS, biobanking, and agrigenomics.

Affymatrix GeneTitan (GWAS)

AbsoluteQ digital PCR

The QuantStudio Absolute Q Digital PCR system delivers fast, automated nucleic acid quantification using microfluidic technology. It combines partitioning, thermal cycling, and imaging into a single 90-minute workflow for highly accurate target detection.

AbsoluteQ digital PCR

Oxford Nanopore GridION

a compact, benchtop sequencing system used for analyzing DNA and RNA. Produced by Oxford Nanopore Technologies, it utilizes “long-read” technology to help researchers and clinicians decode genomes.

Oxford Nanopore GridION

Oxford Nanopore P2 Solo

a compact, high-performance DNA and RNA sequencing device. It brings the massive data power of large-scale sequencing direct to individual labs, sitting right on a lab benchtop.

Oxford Nanopore P2 Solo

Oxford Nanopore Flongle

an adapter and smaller, single-use flow cell for MinION and GridION devices. It enables cost-efficient, real-time DNA and RNA sequencing for smaller or more frequent assays, typically generating 1–2 Gb of data per run

Oxford Nanopore Flongle

QIAcuity digital PCR

an advanced lab instrument that counts exact numbers of DNA or RNA molecules in a sample. Instead of just estimating amounts, it divides your sample into thousands of tiny individual partitions, measures them, and provides an exact, highly sensitive count

QIAcuity digital PCR

QIAgility

a compact benchtop robotic liquid handler by QIAGEN designed to automate and standardize PCR setup. It eliminates manual pipetting errors to deliver high-precision, reproducible results for real-time and end-point PCR assays.

QIAgility (Liquid Handler)

QIAxcel Connect

The QIAxcel Connect by QIAGEN is an automated capillary electrophoresis instrument designed for fast, high-resolution DNA and RNA fragment analysis, as well as NGS library quality control. It processes up to 96 samples per run in batches of 12 with no manual intervention.