The collaboration aims to deliver integrated, automated RNA sequencing library prep workflows for laboratories seeking higher throughput and reproducibility.

Takara Bio USA and Hamilton Company have announced a development and co-marketing agreement to deliver integrated, automated next-generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation workflows to laboratories worldwide.

The companies are collaborating to develop verified automation methods for Takara Bio USA’s SMART-Seq library preparation kits on Hamilton’s Microlab STAR Liquid Handling Systems. The first automated technology to be developed under the agreement will be the SMART-Seq mRNA LP kit, which is designed to streamline the creation of full-length mRNA sequencing libraries. Additional products in the SMART-Seq portfolio slated for automation script development include the SMART-Seq Total RNA Library Prep with ZapR Depletion with unique molecular identifiers (UMIs) kit.

By pairing advanced library preparation chemistry with liquid handling automation, the partnership aims to help laboratories reduce hands-on time and errors while increasing throughput and decreasing labor costs, according to a release from the companies.

“The automation of Takara Bio library prep kits allows laboratories, including core facilities, to use our trusted technology as a routine, high-throughput research tool or service,” says Carol Lou, president and CEO at Takara Bio USA, in a release. “We are thrilled to partner with Hamilton to enable large-scale full-length transcriptome analysis, launching our gold-standard SMART-Seq library prep workflows into an era of high consistency and efficiency provided by the Microlab STAR systems.”

Addressing Throughput Demands in Core Facilities and Research Labs

The collaboration is designed to meet growing demand for scalable, standardized NGS workflows in core facilities and high-volume research environments. Hamilton’s Microlab STAR platform is built to support end-to-end, assay-ready workflows, and the integration of Takara Bio’s library preparation chemistry is intended to produce consistent and reproducible results on a standardized, high-throughput platform—yielding higher-quality data for downstream sequencing and transcriptomic analyses, per the release.

“At Hamilton, our focus is enabling fully integrated, scalable workflows that bring consistency and efficiency to complex biological processes,” says Michael Mouradian, vice president of scientific strategy and market development at Hamilton Company, in a release. “By partnering with Takara Bio, we are combining best-in-class library preparation chemistry with advanced liquid handling automation to help laboratories standardize RNA-seq workflows and accelerate the generation of high-quality data at scale.”

Representatives from Takara Bio USA are available to meet with core facilities professionals at the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 28–31, 2026.

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