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BioEcho Life Sciences, experts in Molecular Biology, was founded in 2016 with its Headquarters based in Cologne, Germany. Over the years they have developed ‘EchoLUTION’ which is the fastest nucleic extraction technology; this has been used in over 20 printed publications in molecular diagnostics, academic and biopharmaceutical research. They continuously aim to develop breakthrough solutions that drastically improve convenience and speed of scientists’ workflows, therefore improving the quality of their results. BioEcho are committed to being sustainable by reducing plastic waste, ensuring packing materials can be recycled and minimising hazardous reagents.

In April, our team was lucky enough to travel to the cultural and vibrant city of Cologne as part of BioEcho’s first distributor day! We were trained on current products in their portfolio (e.g. EchoLUTION Plant DNA Kit) and were taught more about the recent product launches such as the EchoLUTION FFPE DNA Kit. We even received hands-on product training with the new EchoLUTION Buccal Swab DNA Kit! – Read more to find out how we got on in the lab.

Starting in a cellar, Founder Markus Müller had an idea that would revolutionise nucleic acid extraction thus EchoLUTION was born! There are two main drawbacks of the traditional silica-based preparation method that EchoLUTION overcomes:

1. Incomplete lysis of cells
2. Harsh, non-physiological purification conditions resulting in carry-over of organic solvents or salts

This patented EchoLUTION technology consists of two simple steps. First, gentle lysis is performed in aqueous and less-hazardous buffers. Once the cleared lysate is transferred onto the spin column or plate, nucleic acids pass through the purification matrix without interaction, while impurities are held back and completely removed. The result is a ready-to-use nucleic acid for reliable downstream applications.

Advantages to EchoLUTION technology:

According to the University of Exeter, laboratories produce 5.5 million tonnes of plastic globally every year and consume enormous amounts of energy. With this in mind, BioEcho strives to be sustainable without compensating on innovation. Through the EchoLUTION technology they aim to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle waste.

REDUCE

• Up to 70% less plastic waste
• Plastic bags and packaging materials are reduced to a minimum. The remaining bags in the kits are made from biodegradable bioplastic (polylactic-acid, PLA), which is based on the renewable resource starch instead of oil-based plastics
• Fewer hazardous reagents are used in the kits, contributing to user health, minimal health risks, and reduced disposal costs

REUSE

• Reusable components such as Conditioning Plate and Cap Puncher which can be reused many times!

RECYCLE

• Carton boxes are made from 70% recycled paper and are 100% recyclable (water-based ink)
• Plates are made from 100% polypropylene and are easily recyclable (Need a recycling solution? Click here to view our appCYCLE 2.0)

As part of our training, we got the chance to trial the new EchoLUTION Buccal Swab DNA Kit, that were soon to be released from BioEcho, in their Research and Development facility! The protocol was really simple to follow and we were impressed with how fast the extraction process took. The lysis step was only 2-5 minutes long compared to the usual 30 minutes used for conventional methods, which we were accustomed to using in our previous academic backgrounds. This kit has the potential to be used in academic practical classes as a quick method for DNA extraction. It was great to get a first-hand experience of the new releases from BioEcho!

If you have any questions on these products, email us here