Ginkgo Bioworks enhances NGS workflows by integrating Volta Labs’ Callisto Sample Prep System

Ginkgo Bioworks, a leader in synthetic biology and biosecurity, has integrated Volta Labs‘ Callisto Sample Prep System into its laboratory workflow, significantly streamlining its next-generation sequencing (NGS) operations. This innovative automation system targets complex and difficult-to-automate procedures, enhancing Illumina sequencing efficiency and reducing operational challenges. The strategic partnership between Ginkgo Bioworks and Volta Labs represents a notable advancement in genomic sequencing automation, designed to improve accuracy, scalability, and cost efficiency.

Why Did Ginkgo Bioworks Integrate the Callisto Sample Prep System?

Integrating Volta Labs’ Callisto Sample Prep System into Ginkgo Bioworks’ high-throughput laboratory addresses longstanding automation challenges associated with next-generation sequencing workflows. Traditional NGS workflows, particularly those involving PacBio library preparation and Illumina double-sided size selection, often face significant hurdles in automation due to their complexity and variability. Aimable Habimana, Senior NGS Scientist at Ginkgo Bioworks, indicated that these intricate procedures had been challenging to automate effectively, prompting the company to seek advanced technological solutions capable of managing diverse sequencing tasks simultaneously.

By adopting the Callisto Sample Prep System, Ginkgo Bioworks has streamlined its ability to handle processes such as DNA fragment size selection and library preparation. This is particularly critical in workflows involving pooling thousands of samples into smaller batches, where batch sizes vary substantially from day to day. Alex Plocik, Senior Director of Genomics at Ginkgo Bioworks, highlighted the Callisto system’s flexibility, noting its significant advantages in reducing operating costs and improving efficiency through its unique App Store-like interface. This platform enables labs to swiftly transition between various sequencing technologies and chemistries, substantially enhancing operational adaptability.

How Does the Callisto Sample Prep System Enhance Illumina Sequencing Efficiency?

The primary benefit of the Callisto system in improving Illumina sequencing efficiency lies in its sophisticated automation capabilities. Utilizing advanced electrowetting, acoustic, and magnetic technologies, Callisto provides highly precise liquid handling that traditional methods cannot easily replicate. This innovative approach results in cleaner DNA elutions and consistently uniform fragment size distributions, which are essential for accurate sequencing.

Volta Labs’ CEO and founder, Udayan Umapathi, emphasized that Callisto’s proprietary VoltaNode™ technology plays a crucial role in enabling precise separation and handling of liquids, ensuring minimal variability between sequencing batches. Such capabilities are particularly beneficial for labs, including Ginkgo Bioworks, which routinely process vast quantities of samples. With consistent fragment lengths and low duplication rates, the Callisto system significantly reduces operational variability, allowing more samples to be processed simultaneously on sequencing flow cells and consequently lowering overall sequencing costs.

What Impact Does Volta Labs’ Collaboration with UMC Utrecht Have on Callisto’s Market Credibility?

The integration at Ginkgo Bioworks follows Volta Labs’ successful deployment of the Callisto Sample Prep System at UMC Utrecht, a leading clinical genomics centre in the Netherlands. UMC Utrecht’s adoption highlights Callisto’s potential to significantly streamline high-volume, clinical-grade sequencing workflows. According to Marcel Nelen, Head of Genome Diagnostics at UMC Utrecht, Callisto’s fully automated, walk-away design has allowed their clinical technicians to efficiently process thousands of samples per year with minimal manual intervention, reducing turnaround times and sequencing costs dramatically.

This proven clinical adoption provides strong market validation for Volta Labs, enhancing Callisto’s credibility and appeal within both clinical and research sectors. The consistency and robustness demonstrated in clinical-grade whole genome sequencing at UMC Utrecht underline the Callisto system’s reliability, further solidifying Ginkgo Bioworks’ decision to integrate it into their laboratory workflows.

What Are the Broader Industry Implications of Callisto’s Adoption?

The successful integration at Ginkgo Bioworks and UMC Utrecht signifies a broader industry trend towards increased automation in genomic sequencing. Laboratories facing escalating demands for speed, precision, and scalability increasingly see advanced automation systems like Callisto as essential investments rather than optional enhancements. As genomic sequencing becomes more critical in areas ranging from precision medicine to biosecurity, automating these processes allows laboratories to keep pace with growing sample volumes while maintaining quality and efficiency.

Moreover, Callisto’s flexibility in accommodating multiple sequencing platforms—such as those from Illumina, Element Biosciences, and Ultima Genomics—positions it uniquely in the market. Laboratories can seamlessly transition between sequencing technologies, future-proofing their investments as new sequencing chemistries emerge.

Expert Insights: Is Automation the Future of Genomics?

Experts suggest that automation, particularly of traditionally challenging workflows, will define the future of genomics and precision medicine. Dr. Plocik from Ginkgo Bioworks underscored the significance of platforms like Callisto, asserting they could dramatically reshape laboratory practices. By reducing manual intervention and variability, automated systems facilitate higher-quality data production, which is critical for both research reliability and clinical accuracy.

Industry leaders anticipate that the adoption of advanced digital fluidics technology, as demonstrated by Callisto, will soon become a standard rather than an exception within both research and clinical genomic settings. Volta Labs’ growing customer base across North America and Europe, exemplified by installations at institutions like Ginkgo Bioworks and UMC Utrecht, validates this emerging trend.

What Does This Mean for the Future of Ginkgo Bioworks and Volta Labs?

Looking ahead, the strategic integration of Callisto by Ginkgo Bioworks represents a foundational step towards broader application expansion. CEO Umapathi pointed out that while immediate improvements in Illumina sequencing workflows are notable, the long-term potential for expanding Callisto’s application across various genomic sequencing methodologies is substantial. Ginkgo Bioworks’ early adoption and collaborative refinement efforts could position it as a leader in automated genomic sequencing, setting benchmarks for similar organizations aiming to enhance their operational capabilities.

As genomic sequencing demands continue to grow exponentially, Ginkgo Bioworks’ proactive investment in automation positions it strategically to handle increased sample throughput effectively, enhance biosecurity protocols, and reduce operational costs in the long term. Volta Labs, benefiting from validated real-world use cases, is poised for accelerated market expansion and wider industry recognition as a leader in genomics automation technology.