Welcome to BioRadiations

      
 Featured Story LEARNING IN THEIR DNA:

Inside the Bio-Rad Science

Ambassador ProgramTake a closer look at Bio-Rad's initiative to bring scientists into

K–12 schools in North America by following three Ambassadors

as they go into classrooms. Find out more about what this

program offers students, teachers, and researchers.
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Featured Story Investigating Protein Translation

with Bio-Rad's NGC™

Chromatography SystemThe Fraser lab at University of California Davis tested

Bio-Rad’s NGC system for the purification of ribosomal complex proteins in their studies of protein translation mechanisms.

The NGC system enabled these researchers to significantly increase their protein purification throughput and save valuable time in the lab.
 Read More 
Featured Story Top Stories of 2012 —

BioRadiations Year in ReviewA look back at this year's most interesting

and most requested articles.From technical reports to tips and techniques, featured applications to featured field research, we've compiled the best-liked stories from the past year in a single convenient location.
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Featured Story  Novel V3 Western Workflow™

Revolutionizes Protein ResearchAlthough the Western blot is a core lab procedure, surprisingly little has changed in traditional bench work practice since its inception in 1979. The V3 Western Workflow delivers a streamlined solution to the conventional western blotting workflow as explored here by one protein researcher specializing in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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Featured Story  Third Generation PCR: Measuring

Copy Number Variations in the

Human GenomeFor Dr Steve McCarroll’s laboratory at Harvard Medical School, being able to analyze how the copy number of a genomic sequence varies within a population, what parts of the world it varies in, and how its variation relates to other genetic variation in that region of the genome is crucial. And the QX100™ Droplet Digital™ PCR lets him accomplish that, for the first time.
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   AnnouncementsBio-Rad’s Applications & Technologies Pages: A Valuable Resource for ScientistsDiscover the wide range of applications for Bio-Rad products in diverse fields of study and learn more about our cutting-edge technologies and their underlying principles. Get protocols, troubleshooting tips, and updates on the latest developments in methods, instrumentation, and software.
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New and Improved Microplate Manager® Software for Microplate Data Acquisition and AnalysisBio-Rad’s microplate readers function at their full potential when used with Microplate Manager Software. This updated version of the software features two new read modes, compatibility with the latest operating systems, and more.
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Bio-Rad Science Ambassador Program Pairs Scientists and Schools — Helps Kids Get Into ScienceBetter science education is a 21st century challenge for America’s K-12 schools. Bio-Rad’s Science Ambassador Program helps working scientists engage with local classrooms across the country to inspire young people’s interest in science.
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 In The Field
Conservation Genetics: High School Students Use Biotechnology Explorer™ Products to Help Save California Redwoods“If we want students to be biologists, let’s start being biologists,” says Ray Cinti, a science teacher at Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco. Find out how Cinti’s class is accomplishing this by doing real research on Coast Redwoods genetic diversity using the Biotechnology Explorer™ Cloning and Sequencing Explorer series.
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Amplifying in the Outback: Researcher Brings Real-Time PCR to Australia’s Kimberley WildernessDr. Tim Inglis of the University of Western Australia seeks better ways to conduct surveillance and respond to outbreaks of tropical infectious diseases. For over a decade he’s been developing detection assays for a slate of pathogens. Find out how Bio-Rad’s MiniOpticon™ real-time PCR detection system allows him to effectively run these assays in such remote locations as the Kimberley Wilderness in Australia’s Top End.
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TGX Stain-Free™ Precast Gels Facilitate LDL Research on Potential New Drug TargetsLDL-associated cholesterol – the "bad" form of cholesterol – can accumulate on arterial walls and harden as plaque, increasing the risk for cardiovascular diseases. Dr Frederick Bauzon at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI), is investigating the role of a gene candidate linked with LDL regulation. Here Bauzon explains how TGX Stain-Free™ precast gels have expedited his research towards potential future drug targets.
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   Tips and Techniques Using Bio-Rad’s PDQuest™ Software to Generate a Match Rate between 2-D Electrophoresis and Western Blotting2-D electrophoresis followed by immunodetection of protein spots using western blotting is adopted commonly in proteomics studies. Here we present step-by-step instructions for obtaining accurate overlaps between the gel and the blot using the PDQuest 2-D gel analysis software.
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A Novel Biotinylated Ligand-Capture Method with Surface Regeneration Capability for Label-Free Biomolecular Interaction AnalysisLigand-capture approaches using biotin as an affinity tag are often utilized in biomolecular interaction analyses with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors. However, a drawback to using biotin is that it makes surface regeneration of SPR sensor chips difficult. Here is a strategy that facilitates surface regeneration when using biotinylated ligand-capture approaches to SPR analysis.
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Analyzing Binding Kinetics with Surface Plasmon Resonance Complemented with Direct Mass Spectrometry on the Same Sensor ChipSurface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a commonly used technique for label-free analysis of the binding kinetics between two molecules. So far, one disadvantage of SPR has been the inability to identify and confirm the specific molecules being measured. This article presents a protocol to follow SPR analysis of molecules with mass spectrometry, enabling identification of the specific molecules after kinetics analysis.
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 SolutionsDigital PCR at the Next Level: Users Find Many Applications for the QX100™ Droplet Digital™ PCR SystemThe QX100 Droplet Digital PCR system gives researchers an improvement in PCR precision and sensitivity. See how this innovative digital PCR system is enabling companies to create better products, improve workflow efficiencies, and validate results with greater accuracy than previous methods allowed.
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Droplet Digital™ PCR Opens New Perspectives in HIV Research Sangamo BioSciences, Inc., located in Richmond, California, is developing HIV therapeutics toward a functional cure using their proprietary zinc finger DNA-binding protein technology. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR™) — or third generation PCR — offers a superior solution as it can detect target sequence within a single molecule, making it a powerful technology for low copy event detection.
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Gel Doc™ EZ Imaging System — A Tale of Speed and Simplicity in Two Cities Two independent research groups discuss how Bio-Rad's Gel Doc EZ imaging system has become an important tool in their research labs. Speed and versatility of imaging and analysis are among the system's most valuable attributes.
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   Technical ReportsImmobilization of Active Kinases for Small Molecule Inhibition StudiesSurface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a well-established and important screening tool in the small molecule drug discovery workflow. Using the Bio-Rad SPR system ProteOn™ XPR36, rapid optimization of immobilization conditions for a kinase target was carried out in a fast workflow with a single sensor chip, showing the high performance of the ProteOn XPR36 system. Read More
 
PrimePCR™ Pathway Analysis: Pathway Curation and Real-Time PCR Panel Design StrategyPathway analysis is an efficient approach for studying a large number of related gene targets in a single experiment. Bio-Rad Laboratories and Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of system biology tools, have partnered to provide predesigned pathway panels for gene expression analyses using real-time qPCR. This tech report describes how Bio-Rad’s PrimePCR™ pathway panels were curated and designed using a ranking strategy developed by Thomson Reuters. Read More
 
PrimePCR™ Assays: Meeting the MIQE Guidelines by Full Wet-Lab ValidationMIQE guidelines have set a standard for qPCR. One of the guidelines is the proper design and experimental validation of primers used in qPCR assays. This tech report describes the design and wet-lab validation of PrimePCR assays and how they comply with the MIQE guidelines. Read More
 
Multiplex Analysis of Inflammatory Markers Using Bio-Plex Pro™ Human Th17 Cytokine AssaysThe T-helper cell (Th17) pathway has been implicated in several autoimmune diseases and in cancer. New magnetic bead–based assays have been developed for several biomarkers in this pathway. The performance characteristics of these assays are evaluated from data on intra- and inter-assay precision, standard curve recovery, cross reactivity, and linearity of dilution. Read More
 
Application of Hexapeptide Libraries for Enhanced Protein Detection in Human Cellular LysatesHexapeptide libraries can significantly increase sensitivity of shotgun proteomics analyses of diverse complex samples. Underlying this increased sensitivity is the partial removal of high-abundance proteins leading to an increased representation of low-abundance proteins. Currently, these libraries are mostly used to increase proteomic detection in fluid samples, but not in cellular lysates. This tech report explains how the technology can be extended to cell lysates. Read More
 
   Product SpotlightT100™ Thermal Cycler – Endorsed by Customers around the WorldAn intuitive touch screen and a reliable performance can make a big difference in PCR. In this video, customers explain how Bio-Rad’s T100 thermal cycler helps them make the most of their PCR experiments.
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Real-Time PCR Interactive Tutorials — From Reagent Selection To Real-Time PCR Data AnalysisRead More
 
Bio-Rad’s 2-D Electrophoresis Workflow How-To Guide, Fourth Edition, is Now Available for DownloadRead More
 
Gel Doc™ EZ Imaging System — Push-Button Imaging in Just Ten SecondsRead More 
PDQuest™ Software: Bite-Sized Video Tutorials Make Learning 2-D Analysis EasyRead More

In Every Issue

To Our Readers

Welcome to BioRadiations!

When I was working at the bench, I remember every so often looking for tips and protocols when I had issues with my experiments. It took considerable time to search and find those resources because some of the sites had login requirement, some had partial information, etc. I remember thinking how wonderful it would be if relevant tips and information for day-to-day use in the lab were readily available from one source that I could trust enough to base my experiments on it. Well, that is exactly what we have created for scientists: Bio-Rad’s Applications & Technologies section, a reliable technical resource with troubleshooting tips from our experts, downloadable protocols validated by Bio-Rad scientists, relevant product literature, FAQs, videos, and product demonstrations, and a wealth of information on the technologies most commonly used in labs. I recommend that you make use of this valuable resource to find help with your experiments, keep up with cutting-edge technologies, and simply to learn! This month on bioradiations.com, our article on the Applications & Technologies section will take you through the pages and introduce you to such sections as Western Blotting Doctor, PCR Doctor, and more.

2-D electrophoresis followed by immunodetection of the protein spots is a useful technique for many proteomics applications, including detection of host cell protein impurities in biopharmaceuticals. An important part of this technique is to find the correct overlaps between the 2-D gel and the western blot. Sophisticated gel analysis software programs, such as Bio-Rad’s PDQuest™ software, have preprogrammed protocols for such analyses. In our article, we include step-by-step guidelines for generating match rates between 2-D gels and immunoblots using PDQuest software.

We all like to get input from people who have used a certain instrument or reagent before we trust it for our experiments. This month we provide you with testimonials for Bio-Rad’s T100™ thermal cycler from customers around the world. Watch the video to learn what experiences these customers had when they used the T100 thermal cycler.

Happy browsing! And as always, let us know your thoughts and comments at bioradiations@bio-rad.com.

Geetha Yadav
Editorial Director

Highest Rated

Featured Video

Investigating Protein Translation with the NGC™ Chromatography System

The Fraser lab at University of California Davis tested Bio-Rad’s NGC system for the purification of ribosomal complex proteins in their studies of protein translation mechanisms. The NGC system enabled these researchers to significantly increase their protein purification throughput and save valuable time in the lab.

A look back at this year's most interesting and most requested articles.

Announcements

In The Field

Tips and Techniques

Solutions

Technical Reports

Product Spotlight

A look back at this year's most interesting
and most requested articles.