Volta Blog

Volta Labs and Hartwig Medical Foundation Collaborate to Advance Oncological Discoveries with the Callisto™ Sample Prep System

May 8, 2025

Volta Labs and Hartwig Medical Foundation have announced their multi-year collaboration aimed at developing a sample processing platform for the most common cancer diagnostic sequencing applications.

"We began collaborating with the Volta Labs team two years ago, and we believe the Callisto Sample Prep System represents the future of sample preparation in diagnostic labs. Callisto already delivers an excellent hybrid capture workflow, and we are now working together to enable whole genome sequencing on various DNA sources as well as new capabilities across multiple emerging short-read sequencing platforms. Once development is complete, we plan to integrate the Callisto platform into clinical studies and adopt it for routine use in our clinical accredited testing workflows", said Ewart de Bruijn, Innovation Lead at Hartwig Medical Foundation.

Click here to Learn more about Hybrid Capture for IDT xGen™, v2 Chemistry

Volta has successfully launched the Hybrid Capture for IDT xGen™, v2 Chemistry, app as the first major milestone in their collaboration.

The collaboration between Hartwig and Volta will include advancing the next generation of sample prep “apps” spanning across whole genome sequencing, targeted sequencing, ctDNA, and RNA profiling across multiple sequencing technologies.

About Hartwig:

Hartwig Medical Foundation is a global leader in genomics-driven oncology research and clinical care. They improve cancer patient care by generating, analyzing, and sharing high-quality genomic and clinical data, enhancing diagnostics, enabling personalized treatments, and supporting the development of more effective future therapies.

VoltaHyb

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. 

A diagram comparing three laboratory workflows: Manual Processing, Traditional Pipetting Based Liquid Handlers, and Callisto™. Manual Processing involves experienced personnel performing multiple steps with pipettes, centrifuges, and other lab equipment, leading to 5-10% redo rates and high complexity (four stars). Traditional Pipetting Based Liquid Handlers combine experienced personnel and a dedicated automation specialist with an automated liquid handling system, resulting in 4-8% redo rates and medium complexity (three stars). Callisto™ requires only basic lab skills and utilizes a compact automated instrument, achieving less than 3% redo rates and low complexity (one star). Each workflow ultimately leads to post-hybridization amplification and library QC & pooling steps, represented by graph-like outputs.A detailed workflow comparison showing three columns: Manual Processing, Traditional Pipetting Based Liquid Handlers, and Callisto™. Each column displays its respective redo rate and complexity level at the top. The Manual Processing column illustrates steps like experienced personnel, library pooling, hybridization reaction, bead capture reaction, wash steps, enriched library, post-hybridization amplification, and library QC & pooling, all performed manually with lab equipment. The Traditional Pipetting Based Liquid Handlers column shows experienced personnel working with a dedicated automation specialist and an automated liquid handler, leading to post-hybridization amplification and library QC & pooling. The Callisto™ column depicts basic lab skills requirement and a compact Callisto™ instrument, followed by post-hybridization amplification and library QC & pooling.
For a customer processing 100,000 exome samples annually, each 1% decrease in redo rates can save over $500,000

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.

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 setup

  • Broad Panel Compatibility:
    Works with panels of all sizes, from small targeted panels to comprehensive exomes

  • Support 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 runs

  • Uniform Coverage:
    Even coverage across challenging regions, including high-GC content areas

  • Maximum Throughput: Process up to 480 exomes simultaneously with pooled libraries with flexible batching

VoltaHyb app highlighted

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.

Hybridization Capture
for Twist, v2 standard
(Coming Soon!)
Hybridization Capture for PacBio, v2 standard
(Coming Soon!)

Join the Future of Targeted Sequencing

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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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Volta Labs is a genomics applications company transforming the way biological research and analyses are performed, allowing scientists to focus on what they do best—pushing the boundaries of biology.
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