Real-Time PCR (qPCR) uses various fluorescent detection chemistries to monitor a PCR reaction as it progresses, allowing samples to be characterized at the point when amplification is first detected, as opposed to detecting the amount of product generated after PCR cycling is completed. To incorporate the necessary thermal and optical modules, most qPCR systems are large with price points to match.

Making qPCR accessible to individual researchers, the compact Eco Real-Time PCR System packs loads of innovation into a small footprint that fits anywhere in the lab, while setting new standards in performance, simplicity, and support for a range of Real-Time PCR applications. At the heart of the Eco System, proprietary thermal and optical systems enable it to deliver the high-performance of a much larger, full-featured system in an instrument that is just over a cubic foot in size.

Thermal System
Real-Time PCR specificity and efficiency depend upon precise temperature control during the denaturation and annealing steps. For the highest accuracy, the temperature must remain uniform across the entire heat block, ensuring that all samples are processed equally. Most thermocyclers are large, demonstrate a ±0.5°C variation in temperature, and can take up to 15 seconds to complete each temperature change in a cycle, potentially leading to inaccurate results and longer qPCR runs.

In contrast, the compact Eco system’s proprietary thermal unit incorporates a precisely electroformed hollow silver block that is heated and cooled by a single Peltier device, resulting in ±0.1°C well-to-well thermal uniformity and typical 40-cycle PCR protocol run times of less than 40 minutes. This higher PCR performance makes the system ideally suited for demanding qPCR applications, such as High Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis.