White Paper: Single Channel Pipette Calibration and Operator Competency Assessment Using a Dual-Dye Ratiometric Photometry System

Introduction

Handheld pipettes are the workhorse of most life sciences laboratories, and they are among the most ubiquitous laboratory instrumentation. They are the single most frequently-utilized of all calibrated laboratory instruments, yet they are often overlooked as potential sources of inaccuracy and imprecision in method development and validation. Proper pipette performance is essential to the generation of data that are both reliable and reproducible – two hallmarks of a laboratory’s reputation and success.

The success of analytical method development and validation, as well as routine assay execution is reliant upon two key requirements: first, that the instrumentation designated for the method is functioning properly and second, that the operators performing the development/validation are properly trained.