Emergency breaks law: scaling up in times of crisis

Before a new instrument is purchased for a lab, it is preceded by a thorough analysis. Efficiency and cost savings play the leading roles in the selection process in a performance that can last months or even years. But then a global pandemic breaks out. And you must be on stage within fourteen days with a scalable corona test capacity of 2000 samples. What does the exploratory phase look like? How do you make decisions?

The question

Does Biogazelle want to make capacity available, develop corona tests, scale up quickly and be part of a national platform? The answer to the Belgian minister's question in March is 'yes'. “A choice that was quickly made,” says Jo Vandesompele, co-founder and head of the research department at Biogazelle. “Being part of such an important platform and contributing to national health were enough reasons for us to accept the request. It also feels like an honor to be asked to do something like this.” Certainly an honor, but also a challenge. How did Biogazelle handle the selection process?

“When you are drowning, you don't say that you have to learn to swim first.”

Upside-down world

In times of crisis, “all rules are broken,” Vandesompele reflects. “Not because we want that, of course. Such a long and extensive selection process exists to guarantee transparency and quality. But necessity breaks law. When you are drowning, you don't say that you have to learn to swim first.”

Most important question for the supplier: speed

So switch quickly. For example, for a suitable RNA purification kit, there was no time to extensively search for a system with the best cost-benefit ratio. “The first question we asked had nothing to do with that anyway. We wanted to know whether the supplier could deliver within the desired speed. If the answer was 'no', then that was it and on to the next one.” The calls went on continuously: sometimes up to 14 hours a day, six days a week. “We kept the line with our suppliers short. We asked questions, they acted quickly internally to get an answer.” The organization that met the fast delivery time, could guarantee a certain stock and completed the testing phase successfully was allowed to supply the RNA purification kits.

Falling back on the familiar partner

While Biogazalle previously needed eighteen operators to process 3,000 samples in eight hours, with the purchase of a Tecan robot only three were needed. The system has automated the manual fluid handling process. Why was Tecan chosen? “We had good experiences with a robot from the Tecan EVO series. That's why we decided to look for the system close to home. After all, the trust was already there.”

Learning moment

What can we learn from setting up a testing capacity in times of corona? “The process can be a lot faster than what we are used to. But let me also be honest: in these special times, priorities are different. Biogazelle and suppliers have really done everything they can to make it happen. And that is actually what we can learn: if there is a will, there is a way.