Katalyst: Understanding when to use reaction vs analysis plates

Description

• Users new to Katalyst may be unsure:
  • What the difference is between reaction plates and analysis plates.
  • Which plate to edit when changing materials or reviewing analytical results.
• Misuse can lead to incorrect data mapping or confusion in the Analysis Workspace.

Solution

• Reaction plates:
  • Represent the experimental setup (chemistry/biology being run).
  • Store reagents, reactants, products, and their amounts per well.
  • Used to define what is supposed to be in each well.
• Analysis plates:
  • Represent how analytical data (e.g., LC/MS runs) map onto wells.
  • Used to link processed data to the relevant well from the reaction plate.
  • May mirror the reaction plate layout or use a derivative layout (e.g., subset of wells).
• General usage guidance:
  • Configure chemical reagents and products on reaction plates.
  • Ensure analytical runs are associated to the correct wells on analysis plates, then review results in the Analysis Workspace.
  • Avoid editing materials directly on analysis plates unless specifically modeling a different set of wells for analytics.