Performance verification of the Maxwell 16 Instrument and DNA IQ Reference Sample Kit for automated DNA extraction of known reference samples.

Advances in automation have been made for a number of processes conducted in the forensic DNA laboratory. However, because most robotic systems are designed for high-throughput laboratories batching large numbers of samples, smaller laboratories are left with a limited number of cost-effective options for employing automation. The Maxwell 16 Instrument and DNA IQ Reference Sample Kit marketed by Promega are designed for rapid, automated purification of DNA extracts from sample sets consisting of sixteen or fewer samples. Because the system is based on DNA capture by paramagnetic particles with maximum binding capacity, it is designed to generate extracts with yield consistency. The studies herein enabled evaluation of STR profile concordance, consistency of yield, and cross-contamination performance for the Maxwell 16 Instrument. Results indicate that the system performs suitably for streamlining the process of extracting known reference samples generally used for forensic DNA analysis and has many advantages in a small or moderate-sized laboratory environment.