Bio-Rad Launches New ProteinChip SELDI Qualification and Calibration Kits

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., a multinational manufacturer and distributor of life science research products and clinical diagnostics, today announced the availability of three new Bio-Rad ProteinChip^® SELDI system qualification and calibration kits.

The kit development illustrates Bio-Rad’s commitment to surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI) technology and will help improve reproducibility during biomarker discovery. Clients who own either a ProteinChip^® SELDI Enterprise system or ProteinChip^® SELDI Personal System can now improve long-term reproducibility by qualifying their systems relative to standard specifications. In addition, with the kits, they are able to perform calibrations to compensate for the natural aging of detectors. The tests require no sample preparation or matrix addition.

The ProteinChip^® OQ (operational qualification) Kit is a comprehensive tool that includes tests to evaluate nine operational specifications for sensitivity, resolution, and mass accuracy. The ProteinChip OQ Kit also includes a detector calibration test to automatically adjust and stabilize the detector's output over time. Designed for use in regulated laboratories, this kit allows the laboratory to generate reports demonstrating instrument compliance to operational specifications.

The ProteinChip System Check Kit verifies reader compliance to four operational specifications for sensitivity and resolution. The kit also includes tests for detector calibration to automatically adjust detector voltage, thereby optimizing reproducibility over time.

The ProteinChip Detector Calibration Kit performs detector calibration to automatically adjust detector voltage, thereby optimizing reproducibility over time. It is recommended for weekly use by most users.

The qualification and calibration kits improve the reproducibility and success of the entire SELDI biomarker workflow and address one of four sources of potential variability that should be considered in any proteomics study including:

Biological variability, which reflects differences in protein expression between individuals based on age, gender, disease, and other biological factors.

Pre-analytical variability, which results from differences in protocols for sample collection handling and processing.

Analytical variability, which can be introduced during sample processing steps such as multidimensional fractionation and protein depletion.

Instrument variability, which can occur due to nature aging of components such as the laser and detector.

Biological variability, pre-analytical variability, and analytical variability can all be controlled by the user through careful study design and attention to experimental procedures. With the addition of these kits, users of the SELDI system can control all potential sources of variability and greatly improve the reliability of their data.

Availability
Any of the three kits are immediately available for shipping on the receipt of an order.
Catalog numbers are:

• ProteinChip OQ Kit: C70-00080
• ProteinChip System Check Kit: C70-00081
• ProteinChip Detector Calibration Kit: C70-00082