In science fiction, the rise of the robots is cause for alarm. But in science fact, the machines are already here.
“Robots are simply machines capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically,” says OMRF’s Dr. Patrick Gaffney. In Gaffney’s lab, robots have played a key part in identifying genes linked to the autoimmune disease lupus.
For example, a common tool in the labs is a 96-well plate, a small plastic tray that holds 12 rows of 8 biological samples each. While lab technicians must fill each row individually, a robot—which, in this case, looks more like a black box than a humanoid—can fill entire rows at a time. In a lab that routinely processes tens of thousands of samples, this saves valuable time.
“Robots are excellent at doing very repetitive tasks quickly and with few mistakes,” says Gaffney. “Once they’re set, machines can do some of the tedious work, freeing technicians to do projects that require more critical thinking and creativity.” In a recent project, researchers used robots to identify a genetic variant associated with lupus and, potentially, heart disease and certain kinds of cancer. The project took eight months to gather data. “Without the robots, it would probably have taken three or four years,” said Gaffney.
Although robots may be changing the face of science, there’s no need for flesh-and-blood researchers to worry about their job security. “A robot cannot generate a hypothesis, write a grant, design an experiment or interpret the results of an experiment,” says Gaffney. “At least not yet.”
