Automated control of the electron microscopy proteomic organellar preparation robot

Electron microscopy (EM) is an important tool in organellar proteomics, where it is used to validate sample purity and to confirm protein presence. Current sample preparation techniques are manual, labor-intensive and time-consuming. To overcome these problems, an electron microscopy proteomic organellar preparation (EMPOP) robot is being developed for parallel preparation of up to 96 subcellular fraction samples in an efficient, repeatable and standardized manner. This thesis describes the development and validation of the software that controls the EMPOP robot. The software was organized in two coordinated levels consisting of a: (1) human-machine interface (HMI), and (2) low-level real-time control routines. The HMI was designed to be 'friendly and flexible', and to enable the operator to modify system parameters on-the-fly. Contrarily, the low-level control routines are responsible for controlling all EMPOP system processes. Pilot studies using the EMPOP system prove that the robot and software function predictably and consistently to generate high quality subcellular sample fractions.