Researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (Nederlands Kanker Instituut, NKI) are benefitting from the advanced, multi-parameter characterisation offered by Avacta Analytical’s Optim^® technology for the study of novel proteins.

Dr Anastassis Perrakis, Principle Investigator in the Institute’s Structural Biology Group, explained: “We are interested in the mechanisms controlling a variety of different cellular processes, using in vitro protein characterisation to look at how proteins interact with other proteins and DNA. In addition to traditional biochemical assays, we perform a large number of biophysical experiments to help us understand these molecular interactions, and first became interested in the Optim instrument when we were having trouble measuring the melting curve for a particular protein of interest.”

The Optim instrument allows the Group to probe multiple protein stability-indicating parameters at high speed, using ultra-low sample volumes of proteins and other molecules. “We have had the instrument since May, and it has been very useful,” Anastassis continued. “It looks directly at the unfolding process through the physical properties of the protein – you do not need to use a reporter system – so the results are more precisely defined. The melting point data offers us a good indication of the quality of the proteins we express, as well as ensuring that they are stable and ‘happy’ under the conditions we plan to use in our biochemical assays, without excessive denaturation or aggregation. The biggest advantage for us is that the Optim instrument uses between 10 and 50 times less sample than competitive techniques, which is obviously a real benefit for downstream studies.”

more about Optim

About Avacta Analytical

Avacta Analytical provides services and innovative instrumentation to the biopharmaceutical market. Our focus is to equip customers with a broad range of capabilities, enabling them to develop their therapeutics quicker, cheaper and better.

The groundbreaking Optim 2 instrument combines the powerful analytical capabilities of fluorescence and static light scattering technologies to provide valuable new insights.

Our services business specialises in supporting characterisation, formulation, comparability and stability studies of therapeutic proteins. We are able to draw upon a wide range of analytical capabilities and aim to give our customers a flexible value-added service.

Avacta Analytical is an ISO 9001 2008 registered company.

more about Avacta Analytical