Automated sample preparation for proteomic analysis by mass spectrometry
The enzymatic digestion of proteins into a peptide mixture and its purification is automated by centrifugal microfluidics
Biological mass spectrometry is increasingly becoming a standard tool in laboratory medicine. So-called cohort screenings are carried out with the aim of achieving high accuracy and statistical significance for protein based clinical biomarkers.
However, in many such clinical studies, only the smallest sample quantities (5-20µl) of body fluids are available. To date, there is no robotics technology that is capable of processing sample quantities of this magnitude in a stable and high-throughput manner. As a consequence, sample preparation is done by hand and is consequently error-prone and time-consuming.
Sample preparation by centrifugal microfluidic automation
Hahn-Schickard is working on a solution for this deficiency in the state-of-the-art by automation using centrifugal microfluidics. The goal is to enable the detection of biomarkers in body fluids with high sensitivity and specificity. An automated, precise and reproducible handling of smallest sample quantities (<1µl) of body fluids is developed. The enzymatic digestion of proteins into a peptide mixture and its purification are automated.
The research is funded in projects such as “NanoPrep” supported by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen „Otto von Guericke“ e.V. (AiF). We would be happy to develop specific solutions with you that are tailored to your problem. Interested? Then please get in touch with me!
