Synbiosis New Automated Colony Counters

20th June 2003 Cambridge, UK: Cambridge, UK: Synbiosis, a world-leading manufacturer of automated microbiological systems is pleased to introduce the new high specification ProtoCOL SR and HR automatic colony counting and zone sizing systems. These new additions to the market leading ProtoCOL range employ the latest imaging technology, guaranteeing rapid automation of the greatest variety of colony counting and zone measurement tasks. 

The new look ProtoCOL SR and HR systems feature the latest digital colour firewire camera technology, combined with unique LED lighting arrays. The optional colour differentiation module allows up to seven different colony colours from one plate to be distinguished automatically, generating accurate results for chromogenic media. This benefits microbiologists who want precise images of plates containing mixed populations of microorganisms.  

Both systems have sophisticated LED lighting arrays above and below the plate. These provide even illumination, making it easier to count colonies and plaques or measure zones on a wide variety of media. Applications include detecting difficult to visualise microorganisms such as black Legionella spp. colonies on opaque agars, as well as measuring zones for both pharmaceutical and clinical applications. The main difference between the systems is that ProtoCOL SR can detect colonies with a 0.2mm diameter, whereas the HR with its higher resolution camera, offers four times the resolution of SR, allowing much smaller microcolonies to be detected. 

Simon Johns, International Product Manager for Synbiosis said: “We have used the best available camera and LED lighting technologies in both the ProtoCOL SR and HR systems. The powerful combination of this technology makes these new systems extremely versatile and ideal for microbiology laboratories routinely working with a wide range of sample types or microorganisms.”

-Ends-

For Further Information Contact:Jayne Arthur, Synbiosis, Beacon House, Nuffield Road, Cambridge, CB4 1TF, UK.
Tel: +44(0) 1223-727125 Fax +44 (0) 1223-727101
Email: jayne.arthur@synbiosis.com  Web site: www.synbiosis.com  
 
Editor Contact:Dr Sue Pearson, PO Box 170, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 3GD, UK.
Tel/Fax +44 (0)1462-635327 Email: sue6.pearson@ntlworld.com 
 
Note to Editors 
About Synbiosis 
Synbiosis is a world-leading supplier of integrated imaging solutions for automatic counting and analysis of microbial colonies and zone measurement. Synbiosis’s ProtoCOL and åCOLyte systems are installed in food, pharmaceutical, environmental and research microbiology laboratories world-wide. Synbiosis uses established distribution channels to market its products internationally. 
Synbiosis, founded in 1998 is a division of the Synoptics Group based in Cambridge UK. The Group’s other divisions; Syncroscopy and Syngene, specialise in digital imaging solutions for microscopy and molecular biology applications respectively. Synoptics currently employs 55 people in its UK and US subsidiary operation and has profitable revenue of almost $10 million, which continues to grow rapidly.