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Introduction This blog is about binding constants (association, dissociation or equilibrium constants), how to measure them, and the crucial role they play in understanding molecular interactions. By definition, a binding constant quantifies the strength of the interaction between two molecules, such as a ligand and its binding partner, under equilibrium conditions. Information on binding constan…

Metabolic pathways of living organisms Cell metabolism encompasses different steps and sequences of molecular conversions. This coordinated series of biochemical reactions where the product of one conversion becomes the substrate for another reaction is known as metabolic pathways. In these pathways, molecules are transformed by a series of enzymes. These metabolic pathways consist of numerous ch…

Introduction Receptor-ligand interactions are molecular binding events that alter receptor activity or trigger a response in the cell. Researchers are interested in studying receptor-ligand interactions to understand how cells communicate with their environment and how they operate in response to cell signaling . Receptor-ligand interactions are also an important target for drug discovery (Fig. 1…

Introduction A receptor-ligand interaction involves the binding of a molecule (ligand) to a site on a receptor. Receptors are detection and cell signaling molecules inextricably linked to the activities of cells 1 .  Ligands are diverse molecules with the ability to interact with receptors. They may be endogenous (naturally occurring) molecules or synthetic ligands such as drugs.

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) research studies the mechanisms underlying tissue and cellular damage caused by a period of ischemia, followed by the re-establishment of blood supply (reperfusion) in an infarcted organ or tissue.

In the cell, several biological processes involve changes of the reduction-oxidation (redox) state, a misbalance of which can result in the production of free radicals and/or other Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) . Although, cells physiologically produce a certain amount of ROS (e.g.: respiratory chain in mitochondria), excessive production has the potential to significantly damage cell homeostasis…

Introduction Almost all lifeforms exhibit circadian rhythms that repeat approximately every 24 hours and which play an important role in the regulation of biological processes. Circadian rhythms contribute to sleep and feeding patterns in animals and significantly impact health. They also shape the physiological reactions of microorganisms, plants, and animals to the length of day and night. At th…

Basic information about luminescence plate readers A luminescence microplate reader (longform: luminescence microplate reader; shortform: luminescence reader also named luminometer or luciferase plate reader) is a piece of equipment capable of detecting the light photons emitted by chemical, bio-chemical or enzymatic reactions in a microplate and quantify them. Luminescence detection is not an ab…

- Company/University: Cancer Research Horizons, UK - Interviewee: Charlotte Walsh-Tripp - Products used: PHERAstar FSX, VANTAstar - Method: fluorescence intensity, luminescence, absorbance, AlphaScreen, TR-FRET, kinetic assays, cell-based assays Charlotte Walsh-Tripp, a senior scientist at Cancer Research Horizons, elaborates on their mission to cure cancer by focusing on targets that are often n…

Unlimited applications and technical support Our mission is to develop microplate readers guaranteed to provide optimum performance for years. We have maintained this philosophy while continuing to remain at the forefront of microplate reading, always introducing new and unique products. All our instruments are built to be extremely reliable and robust over decades, some of the very first product…

Helen Harrison, Director of Screening at Amphista Therapeutics, discusses targeted protein degradation (TPD) and the discovery of drugs in this area. Amphista focuses on the development of novel TPD approaches. How do these targets differ from more traditional ‘druggable’ targets and what are the benefits of this approach? TPD approaches can completely remove pathogenic proteins, rather than just…

Identification of single-cell immunophenotypes with biocytometry You want to analyse cellular immune types of single cells but don't have a FACS device? Here we present an alternative microplate-based method and its simplified workflow on the VANTAstar.

The G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family is comprised of hundreds of receptors that respond to a variety of stimuli to modulate cellular activity. Their ubiquitous expression and cell membrane localization make them attractive. In fact, GPCR represents the most highly targeted protein family by FDA-approved drugs. Biased agonism, the concept whereby ligands select for and stabilise receptor s…

- Company/University: ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Oxford University, UK - Interviewee: Dr Emma Murphy (Assay Development & Screening Team Leader) - Products used: PHERAstar FSX - Method: HTS, protein-protein interaction, AlphaLISA The Oxford Drug Discovery Institute is funded by Alzheimer´s Research UK (ARUK) and focuses on various areas of neurodegenerative disease research. Emma´s wor…

Colorimetric and turbidimetric analysis of endotoxins using the absorbance detection mode Torn between a colorimetric or turbidimetric LAL assay? Whichever path you take, BMG LABTECH’s absorbance readers deliver dependable results every time. SPECTROstar Omega는 전 흡광도 스펙트럼 또는 최대 8 개의 이산파장을 동시에 포착 할 수있는 전용 흡광도 마이크로 플레이트 리더입니다. SPECTROstar Omega는 동시 두 파장 측정 및 인젝터 업그레이드를 통해 최대 3가지 감지 모드를 갖춘 멀티모드 마이크로…

Meet Oliver Carney, BMG LABTECH UK Applications Manager, a dedicated bioscience professional from Birmingham, UK, who joined BMG LABTECH in 2014. With a background in forensic science, he manages a team of application specialists, providing diverse support to academic and pharmaceutical customers. Discover the dynamic nature of his role, the challenges he faces, and the values that drive him. Lea…

Novel hemoglobin modifying activity discovered through screening T-VDAcv Discover how BMG LABTECH's microplate readers helped identify novel haemoglobin-modifying activity in snake venom libraries. Explore the findings and their potential applications here. Steven Trim from Venomtech Ltd. presents "Novel haemoglobin modifying activity discovered through screening T-VDAcv" at the 2013 ELRIG in Man…