Miniaturization and Non-Contact Dispensing: Rethinking Liquid Handling Workflows
Miniaturized, non‑contact liquid handling is reshaping cell‑based assay workflows.
As laboratories pursue higher throughput, greater reproducibility, and more sustainable experimental design, liquid handling workflows are undergoing a quiet yet significant transformation. Traditional pipetting methods are increasingly being challenged by the need to handle ever‑smaller volumes and sensitive biological samples—all while reducing variability and waste.
At analytica 2026, Frederik Huhn, junior application specialist, liquid handling, and Dr. Katharina Haft, group leader application, liquid handling, at Analytik Jena, sat down with Technology Networks to discuss how digital, non‑contact dispensing technologies are reshaping liquid handling strategies.
Drawing on advances in droplet‑based microfluidics, intuitive software design, and miniaturized assay development, Huhn and Haft outlined how modern workflows are evolving to meet emerging scientific and regulatory demands.
Digital non‑contact dispensing at the picoliter scale
What is the core technology behind digital non‑contact dispensing, and how does it differ from conventional approaches?
At the heart of modern non‑contact dispensing is a droplet‑based approach derived from inkjet technology. In these systems, liquids are distributed through microfluidic chips containing multiple microscopic nozzles. Each nozzle generates individual droplets, which are combined to reach the desired dispense volume.
Importantly, only a small fraction of the liquid is heated briefly to create each droplet, ensuring that sensitive biomolecules such as proteins remain intact. This allows precise, low‑volume dosing without physical contact between the dispensing system and the sample.
“The PULSEspencer R allows us to go lower than nanoliter volumes, into the picoliter range, without using tips,” explained Huhn. “That’s a key difference compared with other dispenser technologies.”
“Another advantage is that we can dispense the fluids with surfactants, like dimethyl sulfoxide, and also without surfactant, which is typically a bit more difficult because of the surface tension,” continued Huhn.
The non‑contact format reduces the risk of cross‑contamination associated with direct fluid contact, while the single‑use cassette architecture of the PULSEspencer R eliminates the need for tubing, washing steps, and system decontamination. This can help ensure consistent performance from run to run and simplify day‑to‑day operation.
Key advantages of digital non‑contact dispensing:
- Reliable dispensing from picoliters to microliters
- No direct contact between instrument and sample
- Reduced contamination risk and maintenance requirements
- Compatibility with a wide range of fluid types, including surfactant-free and surfactant‑containing solutions
Filling the gap in automated liquid handling workflows
How does non‑contact dispensing integrate into existing automated laboratory workflows?
Rather than replacing traditional liquid handlers, non‑contact dispensers are increasingly used to complement them.
Conventional pipetting systems excel at handling microliter‑to‑milliliter volumes but struggle at very low volumes, where precision and reproducibility become challenging.
Non‑contact dispensing bridges this gap, enabling seamless transitions between bulk liquid handling and ultra‑low‑volume dosing within the same workflow.
“Once you reach volumes that pipetting systems can’t reliably handle, the dispenser closes that gap,” said Haft.
This integration supports end‑to‑end automated workflows—from reagent addition and plate setup through to downstream analysis—while maintaining a small physical footprint. “Compact instrumentation allows our systems to be positioned within clean benches or safety cabinets, supporting cell‑based experiments without compromising environmental control,” explained Haft.
Low programming requirements also play a critical role. Huhn explained that intuitive software can help reduce barriers to automation adoption: “The programming efforts you need for the PULSEspencer R are really low; the intuitive software addresses in simple steps what the scientist needs to do.”
Workflow integration benefits:
- Smooth transition between pipetting and ultra‑low‑volume dispensing
- Scalable automation from standalone to integrated workflows
Ensuring reproducibility across users and sites
How can dispensing technologies maintain consistency between operators and across laboratories?
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Reproducibility remains one of the most persistent challenges in liquid handling—particularly when workflows are reproduced across multiple users or sites. Huhn and Haft emphasized that consistency must be engineered across both hardware and software, as demonstrated by the PULSEspencer R.
“Single‑use dispensing components ensure that each run begins with identical consumables, while automated plate height detection ensures a consistently minimal dispensing distance and prevents dispensing if a plate is incorrectly positioned,” said Huhn.
The PULSEspencer R software further supports consistency through predefined fluid classes, automated alignment routines, and step‑by‑step user guidance. Role‑based access control restricts workflow modifications, ensuring that validated methods are executed consistently regardless of operator experience.
“When the workflow is defined once, it can be run the same way everywhere,” Haft noted. “That’s a major advantage for multi‑site organizations.”
PULSEspencer R features supporting reproducibility:
- Automated plate alignment and height detection
- Predefined fluid classes removing manual optimization
- Guided workflows reducing user‑dependent variability
- Detailed reporting and traceability for each run
Sustainability through miniaturization and waste reduction
How does modern liquid handling address sustainability challenges in the lab?
Sustainability has become a practical rather than aspirational goal for many laboratories, and liquid handling plays a significant role. Miniaturized dispensing can dramatically reduce reagent consumption, allowing experiments to be conducted using nanoliter or picoliter volumes instead of microliters.
This reduction directly lowers reagent costs and enables more experiments to be run from limited samples. It also has downstream environmental benefits, particularly when dispensing eliminates the need for thousands of disposable pipette tips across high‑density plates.
“For a full plate, you may need only one dispensing component instead of thousands of tips,” explained Huhn.
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In some contexts, volume reduction has even broader ethical implications. Using smaller reaction volumes can reduce the number of animals required for sample generation, aligning liquid handling strategies with broader sustainability and ethical research goals.
Sustainability benefits of miniaturized dispensing:
- Significant reduction in reagent consumption
- Lower plastic waste from disposable tips
- Greater experimental output from limited samples
Supporting non‑animal, cell‑based assay development
What role does liquid handling play in the shift toward non‑animal testing methods?
The transition toward reduced animal testing is accelerating across the life sciences, driven by regulatory pressure and scientific advances in cell‑based models. Miniaturized liquid handling is a key enabler of this shift.
As assays move toward higher‑density plate formats and smaller reaction volumes, precise and gentle dispensing becomes essential—particularly when working with fragile cells or small numbers of reagents. Non‑contact dispensing supports this by enabling accurate dosing without physical disruption.
Haft highlighted that workflows increasingly rely on cell‑based assays conducted in microplate formats, where liquid handling systems must operate within constrained environments and at very low volumes.
“This trend toward smaller, cell‑based experiments is shaping how liquid handling workflows are designed.” — Dr. Katharina Haft
Liquid handling trends supporting non‑animal methods:
- Growth of miniaturized, cell‑based assays
- Increased use of high‑density microplate formats
- Demand for gentle, contact‑free liquid handling
Emerging trends in liquid handling
Which pressures and trends will shape the future of liquid handling?
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Looking forward, Huhn and Haft see several converging pressures shaping liquid handling technology. Miniaturization will continue to reduce dispensing volumes, while laboratories will demand greater automation with smaller instrument footprints.
One consequence of this shift is the growing need to handle not only reagents and compounds at very low volumes, but also cells themselves. In cell‑based assays, precise control over cell number is critical, and workflows are increasingly aiming to work at the level of single cells per well.
Huhn explained that this has influenced Analytik Jena’s development strategy, extending digital, non‑contact dispensing principles beyond reagents to address cellular workflows. Huhn teased a new dispenser set to launch later this year, the PULSEspencer RC, which is designed for dispensing single cells.
“The PULSEspencer RC is even smaller than the existing PULSEspencer R. If you want both devices, then you might place the smaller device just for cells under your biosafety cabinet, and have the bigger device outside to add compounds to the cells for screening,” said Huhn.
These trends point toward a future in which liquid handling is no longer defined by large, standalone instruments, but by highly specialized, workflow‑specific tools designed for miniaturized, automated experimentation.
Key trends shaping future liquid handling:
- Continued miniaturization of assay volumes
- Expansion of non‑animal, cell‑based testing strategies
- Greater emphasis on automation with minimal user intervention
- Compact systems designed for integrated laboratory environments
As laboratory workflows evolve, modern liquid handling technologies are enabling more precise, sustainable, and scalable experimentation.
Key takeaways:
- Digital non‑contact dispensing enables reliable picoliter‑scale liquid handling while reducing contamination and maintenance.
- Miniaturization improves sustainability by lowering reagent use, plastic waste, and reliance on animal‑derived samples.
- Future liquid handling workflows will prioritize automation, reproducibility, and support for non‑animal, cell‑based assays.
This content includes text that has been created with the assistance of generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing. Technology Networks' AI policy can be found here.
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