LuminUltra--a rapid and portable microbiological monitoring tool firm--has acquired InstantLabs, a developer of DNA-based measurement technologies.

“LuminUltra is now a one-stop shop for microbiology management in a variety of sectors, including drinking water, wastewater, industrial, and oil and gas. We can provide a comprehensive picture of how many microorganisms are in our customers’ processes and which ones are having the most impact, and we can do this within minutes to hours,” says Pat Whalen, president and CEO of LuminUltra. “By adding InstantLabs’ DNA-based measurement tools, we can offer a more complete picture while maintaining our hallmark rapid feedback. That means both faster and better decision-making for our customers.”

InstantLabs, a LuminUltra company, provides rapid, point-of-use solutions for quickly quantifying specific microbes or groups of microbes via quantitative polymerase chain reaction as well as best-in-class next-generation sequencing for identifying all microbes and their abundance in a given sample. These products complement LuminUltra’s flagship 2nd Generation Adenosine Triphosphate measurement products, which provide on-the-spot information on total microbiological population size in a matter of minutes.

“Our DNA analysis products and services have been specifically designed to identify and measure those microorganisms that have the most impact on the industries we serve,” says Neil Sharma, vice president, product development, LuminUltra, and the leader of InstantLabs. “We can show the cause-and-effect relationship of key microbes so that system operators can keep things running smoothly while also achieving operating efficiencies and reduced costs. Moving forward, we’ll be able to identify trends and discover other microorganisms that could potentially be harmful so that operators can be even more proactive.”

All InstantLabs employees remain in place and the company will continue to operate from its base in Baltimore, MD. “We’re excited to welcome InstantLabs to the LuminUltra family,” says Whalen.