AUT Roche Diagnostics Laboratory
The AUT Roche Diagnostics Laboratory is a training facility for biomedical and medical laboratory science students at AUT. It gives our students access to the latest scientific testing methods in clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, immunology, haematology and other professional portfolios.
An industry and academic partnership between AUT and Roche Diagnostics Ltd NZ, the AUT Roche Diagnostics Laboratory opened in 2014 and is the first research lab of its kind in New Zealand. The lab is used by undergraduate and postgraduate science students, as well as by AUT research staff and external researchers.
Used by AUT students and researchers
As a student, you’ll get practical experience by using industry-standard facilities and equipment to analyse specimens (like testing blood for glucose or insulin).; an experience that can help you secure clinical placements and provide an excellent foundation for your career.
Bachelor’s degree students begin using the lab in their second year for lab-based classes of 3 to 4 hours. You’ll learn to check, control, calibrate and maintain the machines, as well as how to analyse test results. It means that once you graduate, you’ll be able to operate similar machinery with confidence.
AUT programmes using the lab include:
Lab machinery and setup
Our machinery and equipment is state-of-the-art and we use it for research and cross-departmental working, as well as for teaching. AUT is the only university in New Zealand with a facility like this.
A central work area to encourage collaboration
The lab’s layout is designed to support collaboration with lab users facing each other around a central workbench. This allows for direct discussion while carrying out practical work. Equipment and machinery lines the lab’s walls.
List of lab equipment
Our equipment is used for testing in clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, haematology and immunology. Instrumentation includes:
- A Sysmex® XT-Series Automated Haematology Analyser
- A cobas Modular suite with 3 modules – ISE, P800 and E170 – for high throughput testing in clinical chemistry
- A cobas c111 for low throughput testing in clinical chemistry
- A cobas TaqMan 48 Analyzer for molecular testing in diagnostics (like HIV, HBV and HCV viral loads)
- A suite of real-time PCR machines of the LightCycler family (2.0, 96 and 480) for molecular testing in research (like relative expression, gene knockdown, high resolution melting)
- A MagNA Pure LC2 instrument for automated extraction of nucleic acids from biological specimens.
Research and partnerships
We have connections and partnerships with people across New Zealand and around the world. We welcome researchers outside AUT to use our lab facilities.
Some of our current research includes work around:
- Immunology
- Clinical chemistry
- Molecular diagnostics
This is being carried out in diverse areas, including aquaculture, inflammatory processes, nutrition and sports and science.
About Roche Diagnostics Ltd NZ
Based in Mt Wellington, Auckland, Roche has a team of dedicated specialists in science and engineering.
Roche has a proud tradition of innovation in healthcare, aiming to make a sustainable, long-term impact in patients’ lives by developing new diagnostic tools to support healthcare professionals and patients.
Contact us
Joe Chang is the Director of the AUT-Roche Diagnostics Laboratory.