HighRes® partners with life science organizations to implement intelligent data and lab automation workflows that empower every team member to plan and execute efficient and reproducible science. At SLAS2026, HighRes was joined by three distinguished partner organizations — Enveda, Pfizer, and Merck — each sharing their real-world experiences building and evolving high-throughput screening and sample management platforms powered by HighRes automation.
This customer spotlight series features the stories and insights shared by each partner, offering a window into the practical challenges, strategic decisions, and operational outcomes that define world-class lab automation in drug discovery.
Presented by Sevan Ibabekci, Associate Director of Engineering, Discovery Sample Management (DSM), & Joe Cowan, Principal Scientist, DSM
Merck's Discovery Sample Management (DSM) team at the Rahway research site manages one of the most complex compound logistics operations in pharmaceutical discovery. With over 25 years of combined experience in sample management automation, Sevan Ibabekci leads a team responsible for processing millions of samples annually across multiple HighRes automation systems.
Their presentation covered the end-to-end integration of request fulfillment with HighRes automation, the evolution of their systems over time, and the key lessons learned through years of real-world operation.
HighRes® partners with life science organizations to implement intelligent data and lab automation workflows that empower every team member to plan and execute efficient and reproducible science. At SLAS2026, HighRes was joined by three distinguished partner organizations — Enveda, Pfizer, and Merck — each sharing their real-world experiences building and evolving high-throughput screening and sample management platforms powered by HighRes automation.
This customer spotlight series features the stories and insights shared by each partner, offering a window into the practical challenges, strategic decisions, and operational outcomes that define world-class lab automation in drug discovery.
Presented by Sevan Ibabekci, Associate Director of Engineering, Discovery Sample Management (DSM), & Joe Cowan, Associate Principal Scientist, DSM
Merck's Discovery Sample Management (DSM) team at the Rahway research site manages one of the most complex compound logistics operations in pharmaceutical discovery. With over 25 years of combined experience in sample management automation, Sevan Ibabekci leads the DSM Automation team, which supports the HighRes automation systems used to process millions of samples annually by Joe Cowan and the rest of DSM’s fulfillment organization.
Their presentation covered the end-to-end integration of request fulfillment with HighRes automation, the evolution of their systems over time, and the key lessons learned through years of real-world operation.
Merck's compound fulfillment workflow is built around a deep integration between Scigilian's Request system, Mosaic LIMS (version 9, currently being upgraded from v7), and HighRes Cellario® via the Cellario Fulfillment Module (CFM) and Cellario Order Broker (COB).
This integrated stack allows Merck to process standard program requests, one-off orders, large compound library plates (handled directly in Mosaic), and emerging acoustic dispensing requests — all within a unified, auditable workflow.
Merck operates two identical HighRes sample management cells — mirror images of each other — each equipped with dual Prime® Liquid Handlers, six 1.4 mL tube decappers, a 0.75 mL tube decapper, an acoustic tube decapper, a HighRes MicroSpin, and D2 reagent dispenser from UK Robotics for which HighRes wrote a custom driver. Both cells utilize Denso robots, upgraded from legacy KUKA arms.
The Prime's ability to swap liquid handling heads on the fly, including an IZ8 independent-channel head, low- and high-volume 70 µL heads, and a 384-well head, provides the flexibility to handle a wide range of tube-to-plate and plate-to-plate reformatting orders. Heads can be shipped back to HighRes for calibration during preventive maintenance, minimizing downtime.
The Denso upgrade from KUKA was driven by KUKA's reduced support for smaller pharmaceutical automation customers. While Denso robots required the addition of machine guarding (as they are not collaborative robots), the transition delivered significantly improved reliability — last year was the highest-volume year ever processed on these cells, running flawlessly throughout an extended campaign.
MC199 is Merck's original HighRes system, inherited from the Pennsylvania site in 2017. Over nine years, it has undergone continuous evolution — from an original configuration of four acoustic dispensers and a Microblast Air Knife to a modern system featuring an Echo, AmbiStore, D2 dispenser, MicroSpin, Bravo liquid handler on a permanent FlexCart, and Azenta acoustic decappers.
In 2024, Merck completed a major Phase 1 upgrade of MC199, replacing end-of-life devices and upgrading software to Cellario 4.2. Looking ahead, the team plans to replace the aging KUKA arm with a Nucleus® ZCell pod, add a second Echo on a cart to support growing acoustic dispensing demand, and install cameras for remote monitoring.
Video 1. Merck’s Automation Journey
Sevan and Joe highlighted several themes:
Download Joe & Sevan’s slides here.
Contact our applications and technology experts for personalized advice, recommendations, and demonstrations! Learn more about Merck or reach out to Sevan or Joe about their systems.