Life at Volta: App Development
At the cross-section of software and cutting-edge biochemistry, you’ll find the Volta Labs App Development team. The App Dev team works to ensure Volta’s innovative technology is equipped with the scripting necessary to generate accurate sample results for labs across the country. We explored one member of the App Development team’s journey, Shikhar Gupta.
On a typical day in Volta’s lab, you’ll find Shikhar Gupta, an Applications System Integration and R&D Engineer. After joining the team in 2023, Shikhar has helped the App Dev team make critical progress toward commercialization, and he continues to play a key role in writing instruction sets for Volta’s instrument, Callisto. He’s also a champion for the App Dev team and the broader company culture, which is why he’s usually found in the lab wearing a wide, infectious grin.
Before joining Volta, Shikhar moved from Germany to Boston. His priority was to find an opportunity to work on groundbreaking technology, and doing so with a team that values camaraderie and multidisciplinary skill sets. The way he first heard about Volta was quite serendipitous – his spouse worked in the office next door. After a series of interviews, he knew Volta Labs was the place for him.
"Volta's technology is truly impressive, but what sealed the deal for me was the people – my decision was driven 40% by technology and 60% by the team members I spoke with," said Shikhar.
From day one, Shikhar was excited by the company’s collaborative, vibrant energy. The onboarding experience, especially, was a highlight.
“The team is really communicative and everyone was so patient in addressing so many questions I had,” he said. “I really felt the sense of belonging right away.”
Shikhar found a fast community in his new team, and one of his favorite team memories happened a few weeks after his start.
“We went on a group retreat to a mountain resort in Vermont. Divided into groups, we cooked meals, had fireside chats, went on hikes, and there was a s’mores competition - which my team won.” He beamed, “It was a fantastic way to kickstart my journey with the team."
But it isn’t all s’mores and fireside chats. The App Development team is a high-performance team with a lot of drive. The team works together to quickly eliminate blockers and troubleshoot when others are stuck.
"Nobody is ever too busy to help out. It's an open space where everyone is comfortable talking one-on-one. Constructive feedback is encouraged, making it easier to navigate challenges and celebrate successes," said Shikhar. “We know that the best route forward is together.”
This was especially true during one standout moment, a high-pressure demo to investors where multiple teams were involved in to ensure success.
“Whenever we overcome big challenges like that, the entire team celebrates and hypes each other up. It’s that energy and camaraderie that makes Volta special.”
Looking forward, he says, one of the things he’s most excited about is working with future team members who share his enthusiasm for scripting, biochemistry, and making an impact in the world of genomics. If that’s you, we’d love to connect – check out open positions here!
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Introducing VoltaHyb:
Automating the Last Mile of Targeted Sequencing Workflows
The Volta Labs team is revolutionizing critical targeted sequencing workflows with the introduction of the VoltaHyb™ suite of Apps and kits for the Callisto™ Sample Prep System. Designed to enrich your targets with confidence every single time, the Callisto platform brings unmatched workflow simplicity to hybridization capture. With Callisto, users no longer need to rely on multiple lab instruments (heated blocks, magnetic racks, vortexers) or perform time-sensitive heated transfer steps - such complex steps are abstracted away from the end user. Furthermore, Callisto's unique architecture enables precise magnetic bead manipulation coupled with uninterrupted and uniform temperature control during the hybrid capture enabling consistent enrichment performance.
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Callisto reduces sequencing redo rates to less than 3% while minimizing sample loss throughout the capture process. This breakthrough approach enables reliable targeted sequencing even for challenging applications where conventional tools struggle. These advantages extend across both long and short read-based hybrid capture workflows.
The scalable architecture of the Callisto system enables flexible throughput, with the capacity to process up to 96,000 exomes per year or 48,000 PacBio HiFi samples annually. Whether you're running a small research lab or a high-volume testing facility, Callisto adapts to your needs with flexible batch sizes and consistent performance.
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Key Benefits
of VoltaHyb for Hybridization Capture:
Reduced Sequencing Costs:
Lower sample preparation and sequencing costs by minimizing reruns (<3% redo rates).Fully Automated Workflow:
Enables complete walk-away automation for hybridization, capture, washes, and PCR setupBroad Panel Compatibility:
Works with panels of all sizes, from small targeted panels to comprehensive exomesSupport for Both Short and Long Read Applications:
Optimized protocols for both Illumina-style short-read sequencing and long-read technologies like PacBio and Oxford Nanopore
Consistent Results:
Dramatically reduced inter-operator variability and robust performance across repeated runsUniform Coverage:
Even coverage across challenging regions, including high-GC content areasMaximum Throughput: Process up to 480 exomes simultaneously with pooled libraries with flexible batching
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VoltaHyb’s Expanding App Menu
At Volta, we’re continually growing our support for hybrid capture workflows across both short- and long-read sequencing platforms.
On the short-read side, Callisto currently supports IDT xGEN v2 chemistry, as well as Twist’s standard v2 and Fast chemistries. For long-read applications, we support PacBio HiFi enrichment based on Twist’s standard v2 chemistry.
There are more Apps coming to the VoltaHyb menu, and we’re always listening to our users. If there’s a hybrid capture chemistry you’d like to see automated on Callisto, let us know—we’d love to hear from you.
for Twist, v2 standard
The revolution in genomic sample preparation is here. By bringing the push-button experience of a sequencer to targeted sequencing workflows, Volta Labs is transforming how laboratories approach hybridization capture. The choice is no longer between inconsistent manual methods and complex automation platforms that require dedicated engineering resources. With Callisto and VoltaHyb, you can achieve consistent, high-quality results without specialized training or extensive method development.
Ready to experience the difference? Contact our team today to learn how the VoltaHyb powered Hybridization Capture can enhance your targeted sequencing workflows and accelerate your discoveries.
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Ready to innovate with us?
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Automating the Last Mile of Targeted Sequencing Workflows on Callisto
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