Top Stories of 2013 — Bioradiations Year in Review

Can we construct molecules that will interfere with disease pathways? Dan Mitchell of the University of Warwick and his colleagues wanted to apply new synthesis techniques to interrupting HIV infection. Find out what they learned about the potential of these novel molecules using Bio-Rad’s ProteOn™ XPR36 System.

Fragment-based screening has emerged as an important tool for identifying lead compounds in drug discovery, though the molecules involved present challenges related to their low affinity. Label-free surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis provides an efficient and reproducible solution to these challenges. Here we describe ways to determine small molecule affinity that combines high sensitivity and high throughput with low sample consumption.

In the early 1990s, researcher Alec Morley and his colleagues pioneered digital PCR techniques to measure acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Today, Morley is trying to develop a more accurate way to quantify chronic myeloid leukemia. Find out why he chose Bio-Rad’s Droplet Digital PCR technology for this effort.

Twenty years after the discovery of the link between BRCA gene mutations and breast cancer, researcher Ryan Jensen of the Yale Medical School is looking into the interactions between the DNA repair protein RAD51 and BRCA proteins using Bio-Rad’s V3 Western Workflow.

Removing host cell protein (HCP) contaminants represents an essential step in the production of biologics (therapeutic protein drugs), but has long been a time- and labor-intensive process. Here, we demonstrate a simpler, quicker, and more standardized workflow for evaluating anti-HCP antibodies using 2-D electrophoresis and western blotting.

2-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.

The Fraser Laboratory in the Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Biology at UC Davis studies protein translation mechanisms by purifying diverse ribosomal proteins and reconstructing the translation complex in vitro. The lab utilized Bio-Rad’s NGC system to overcome specific purification difficulties with their protein while beta-testing the equipment. The NGC system enabled the group to increase their throughput by 25% and also saved substantial training time.

Surface 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.

Find out how individual scientists and teachers are making a difference in U.S. schools with the Science Ambassador program, Bio-Rad’s corporate social responsibility initiative. See how teachers are helping students become true life science researchers using Bio-Rad classroom kits.

Get an inside look at the development of Bio-Rad’s new NGC™ chromatography system, learn about the origins of its unique and innovative design, and discover how it can change the way researchers do biochromatography.