CNPEM Facility Renamed HT-BioSys and Expands Its High-Throughput Biotechnology Capabilities

The former Macromolecular Biophysics (BFM) facility is now called HT-BioSys (High Throughput Biological Systems), reflecting a strategic expansion in scope, technological capabilities, and scientific integration. HT-BioSys is a facility of the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) and now operates as an automated, high-throughput platform dedicated to the integrated study of microorganisms and macromolecules.

The new name consolidates and expands the capabilities of the former BFM (Macromolecular Biophysics) and DEB-CMC (Microorganism Prospecting and Cellular Monitoring) facilities—both operated by the Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR/CNPEM). By bringing these units together into a unified infrastructure designed to support research projects that demand scale, precision, and high reproducibility, HT-BioSys enhances efficiency and accelerates the generation of scientific and technological outcomes. With a focus on biotechnological applications such as metabolic engineering and enzyme engineering, the new facility offers greater agility and performance.

HT-BioSys is connected to both DEB (Bioprocess Development and Scale-Up) and Multi-omics platforms, fostering a systemic, collaborative, and integrated approach that advances both fundamental knowledge and the development of innovative applications. As an open-access, multiuser facility, it was designed to expand the capacity to support external users and to consolidate a unique infrastructure within the CNPEM, reinforcing its interaction with other LNBR facilities.

Infrastructure and technical capabilities

HT-BioSys offers a robust set of techniques and equipment that support workflows ranging from microorganism screening and monitoring to the functional and structural analysis of macromolecules.

For microorganisms:

• Hamilton Microlab Star Liquid Handler – automated liquid-handling platform;

• Growth Profiler 960 (Enzyscreen) – incubation system with orbital shaking and image capture for simultaneous monitoring of up to 960 microbial cultures;

• BioLector XT Microbioreactor – high-throughput microbioreactor for microbial, fungal, and algal cultures in volumes up to 2 mL;

• BD Accuri C6 Plus and BD FACS Melody – flow cytometers;

• Tecan Spark Spectrofluorimeter – multimode microplate and cuvette reader with spectrophotometry and fluorimetry functions.

For macromolecules:

• Hamilton Microlab Star Liquid Handler – automated liquid-handling platform;

• Tecan Spark Spectrofluorimeter – multimode microplate and cuvette reader;

• Malvern PEAQ-Auto ITC – isothermal titration calorimeter for accurate, direct characterization of biomolecular interactions in solution;

• Agilent-Wyatt FFF-SEC-MALS – hybrid system combining size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), field-flow fractionation (FFF), and multi-angle light scattering (MALS), enabling the determination of molecular weight, size, shape, and charge of macromolecules in solution.

Proposal submission and evaluation

Proposals submitted to HT-BioSys are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Understanding of the facility’s scope;

• Clarity and structure of the technical proposal;

• Technical feasibility;

• Scientific merit;

• Compliance with sample safety regulations.

Proposal submission follows a rolling system. Proposals remain valid throughout the year of submission, in accordance with the annual submission window announced by CNPEM.

With the creation of HT-BioSys, CNPEM strengthens its role as a strategic research infrastructure for Brazilian science, offering the national and international scientific community a modern, integrated platform designed to address contemporary challenges in biotechnology.